Munro v. Socialist Workers Party

479 U.S. 189 · Decided December 10, 1986 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Munro v. Socialist Workers Party was decided on December 10, 1986 by a vote of 7–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Ballot access” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Munro, Secretary of State of Washington v. Socialist Workers Party et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1986-013, docket 1986-013-01.

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Other cases on “Ballot access”

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (association)

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• Citizens Against Rent Control/coalition for Fair Housing v. City of BerkeleyLaw held unconstitutional
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Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Ansonia Board of Education v. Philbrook
  479 U.S. 60Decided November 17, 19868–1William H. Rehnquist
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• Tashjian v. Republican Party of ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
  479 U.S. 208Decided December 10, 19865–4Thurgood Marshall
• California Federal Savings & Loan Assn. v. Guerra
  479 U.S. 272Decided January 13, 19876–3Thurgood Marshall
• City of Pleasant Grove v. United States
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• Wimberly v. Labor and Industrial Relations Commission of Missouri
  479 U.S. 511Decided January 21, 19878–0Sandra Day O'Connor

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Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error