450 U.S. 107 (1981)
National Democratic Party of the United States v. Wisconsin ex rel.
Does the First Amendment and the principle of party autonomy grant a national political party the right to enforce its own rules for selecting delegates, even if those rules conflict with state law?
The autonomy of national political parties, grounded in the First Amendment right of association, precludes states from enforcing rules that infringe upon this right, especially concerning the selection and binding of delegates to the national convention.
The Supreme Court held that the Democratic Party's rule, which binds its delegates to vote according to the results of the Wisconsin primary, must be upheld and cannot be superseded by a conflicting state statute.
This case is instrumental for law students as it emphasizes the constitutional protection of political party autonomy under the First Amendment. It serves as a key precedent for the balance of power between state regulations and the governance of political parties. Moreover, it illustrates the application of constitutional principles to the dynamic arena of political party operations, a critical aspect of electoral law and democracy.