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Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield
The ACLU and the ACLU of Connecticut have an ongoing case challenging the constitutionality of campaign finance statutes that ban contributions by "communicator lobbyists" (and their families), and by the officers, directors and some employees of state contractors and prospective state contractors (and their families). The suit contends that these statutes violate the speech and association clauses of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by effectively excluding participation by minor and petitioning party candidates through burdensome eligibility requirements.
> Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield - Complaint

The ACLU and Campaign Finance Reform
The American Civil Liberties Union has been studying, litigating and lobbying on the constitutional and practical implications of campaign finance laws for more than a quarter century. For all of those years, while we prevailed repeatedly in the courts, we fought an uphill battle in the court of public opinion and ours was a lonely voice in the progressive community.

The ACLU is among those who believe that the system of electing candidates to federal office badly needs repair. And we will continue to advocate reform of the current system - such as our longstanding support for full public financing - but in doing so we will stress fidelity to the principles protected by the First Amendment with the goal of expanding, not limiting, political speech. Learn more >>

Judge Rules Connecticut Campaign Finance Law Unconstitutional (08/28/2009)
BRIDGEPORT, CT – A federal judge today struck down unconstitutional portions of Connecticut's campaign finance law because they unfairly discriminated against third party candidates. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Connecticut filed a lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of the Green and Libertarian Parties of Connecticut and several individuals in July 2006.

ACLU Defends Francisco Reina And Sues In District Court To Challenge Craig's 500 Dollar Spending Limit (06/16/2009)
Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado (ACLU) filed suit against the City of Craig in Moffat County District Court late Monday afternoon, asking the court to declare that a provision of the Craig City Charter violates the First Amendment and cannot be enforced. The Charter forbids candidates for city posts to spend more than $500 on their campaigns. The ACLU filed the legal action on behalf of Francisco Reina, who ran unsuccessfully for Craig City Council in April, 2009. Reina faces a criminal charge of violating the spending limit and is set to appear in Craig Municipal Court on Wednesday morning June 17.

Under Pressure from ACLU, Rhode Island Politician Drops Defamation Lawsuit Against Activist (12/05/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI - The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that South Kingstown political candidate Andrew Bilodeau has dismissed his defamation lawsuit against Jonathan Daly-LaBelle, a local activist who publicly criticized Bilodeau during the election campaign. The ACLU of Rhode Island filed a counter-lawsuit against Bilodeau last week charging that the defamation suit was brought to suppress Daly-LaBelle's free speech rights.

ACLU of Rhode Island Challenges Political Canvassing Restrictions (05/08/2006)
EAST GREENWICH, RI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a community advocacy group challenging an East Greenwich Town Council ordinance barring the group from engaging in political door-to-door canvassing between 7 and 9 p.m., and requiring payment of a permit fee for the group’s canvassing activities.

In Victory for Free Speech, Court Strikes Down Rhode Island’s Restrictions on Campaigning Over Ballot Questions (04/27/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- Ruling on a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island in 2004, U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres has struck down various aspects of Rhode Island’s campaign finance law that the ACLU argued impermissibly restricted the rights of individuals and entities to campaign for and against ballot questions.

Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield - Complaint (07/06/2007)

Sign On Letter to the House of Representatives Urging Opposition to Efforts to Regulate Grassroots "Lobbying" (05/04/2007)

ACLU Letter to the House of Representatives Urging a "Yes" Vote on H.R. 1606, the "Online Freedom of Speech Act" (11/02/2005)

Coalition Letter to the Federal Election Commission Secretary Expressing Concerns about Draft Advisory Opinion 2003-37, as It Applies to Federal Political Committees, Nonfederal Political Organizations and Other Nonprofit Corporations (02/04/2004)

ACLU Letter to the IRS Expressing Concerns about Revenue Ruling 2004-6 with Regard to Political Speech and the Definition of What Is or Is Not an "Exempt Function" (01/26/2004)

Coalition Letter to the House Urging Opposition to Shays-Meehan Bill (02/13/2002)

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (08/01/2009)
Whether a provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which bars unions and corporations (both for-profit and non-profit) from engaging in "electioneering communications," violates the First Amendment and should be struck down as facially unconstitutional.

Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC (11/21/2005)
Whether the ACLU can be barred from broadcasting advertisements prior to an election that name a federal candidate, even though the ACLU has never taken a position on an election in its 85-year history. DECIDED