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Legal Principle at Issue

Does an Alaska law regulating campaign contributions violate the First Amendment?

Action

In a per curiam (unsigned) opinion, the Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the appellate court and asked the Ninth Circuit to consider whether Alaska’s political contribution limits were consistent with First Amendment precedents.

Facts/Syllabus

Alaska law limits the amount an individual can contribute to a candidate for political office, or to an election-oriented group other than a political party, to $500 per year. Alaska Stat. §15.13.070(b)(1) (2018). Petitioners Aaron Downing and Jim Crawford are Alaska residents. In 2015, they contributed the maximum amounts permitted under Alaska law to candidates or groups of their choice, but wanted to contribute more. They sued members of the Alaska Public Offices Commission, contending that Alaska’s individual-to-candidate and individual-to-group contribution limits violate the First Amendment."