Opinion ID: 1349035
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of scrutiny

Text: W.Va.Code, 7-14-15(a) [1971] provides in pertinent part: [N]o deputy sheriff covered by the provisions of this article shall engage in any political activity of any kind, character or nature whatsoever, except to cast his vote at any election or shall act as an election official in any municipal, county or state election. Any deputy sheriff violating the provisions of this section shall have his appointment vacated and he shall be removed, in accordance with the pertinent provisions of this section. The appellants maintain that the governmental interests underlying W.Va.Code, 7-14-15(a) [1971] outweigh the constitutional rights of a civil service deputy sheriff seeking to run for office, and it is thus unnecessary to review the aforementioned statute under a strict equal protection standard. The appellee, on the other hand, asserts that the statute infringes on two of his fundamental first amendment freedoms: the freedom of expression and the freedom of association. He thereby contends that candidacy for a public office is a federally protected first amendment right touching on the above freedoms and that strict scrutiny applies in considering the constitutionality of the statute. We agree with the appellee that strict scrutiny applies, but for different reasons hereinafter stated. [2] It is well established that where a fundamental, constitutional right is involved and an equal protection challenge is made, the State's action is given strict scrutiny, and the State must advance a compelling state interest to uphold the discriminatory classification. [3] State ex rel. Board of Education v. Manchin, ___ W.Va. ___, ___, 366 S.E.2d 743, 748 (1988); State ex rel. Longanacre v. Crabtree, ___ W.Va. ___, ___ n. 4, 350 S.E.2d 760, 763 n. 4 (1986); State ex rel. Piccirillo v. City of Follansbee, 160 W.Va. 329, 333, 233 S.E.2d 419, 422 (1977); White v. Manchin, infra . This Court has frequently recognized that the right to become a candidate for public office is a fundamental right, and that any restriction on the exercise of this right must serve a compelling state interest. White v. Manchin, ___ W.Va. ___, ___, 318 S.E.2d 470, 488 (1984); see also Marra v. Zink, 163 W.Va. 400, 404, 256 S.E.2d 581, 584 (1979); syl. pt. 1, State ex rel. Piccirillo v. City of Follansbee, 160 W.Va. 329, 233 S.E.2d 419 (1977); State ex rel. Maloney v. McCartney, 159 W.Va. 513, 517, 223 S.E.2d 607, 611 (1976); State ex rel. Brewer v. Wilson, 151 W.Va. 113, 121, 150 S.E.2d 592, 597 (1966). Accordingly, the State must advance a compelling state interest in order to sustain the constitutionality of W.Va.Code, 7-14-15(a) [1971] which infringes on the fundamental right of a deputy sheriff to seek candidacy for a public office.