Prye v. Blunt

The ACLU of Eastern Missouri filed suit in federal court challenging Missouri statutory and constitutional provisions that bar those with court-appointed guardians from registering to vote without any consideration of the individual’s capacity to vote.

In October 2004, the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, in conjunction with the ACLU National Voting Rights Project, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health, and the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, filed suit in federal court challenging Missouri statutory and constitutional provisions that bar those with court-appointed guardians from registering to vote without any consideration of the individual’s capacity to vote. Missouri is one of 26 states with such a law. Prye, a former lawyer and law professor, had a guardian but stayed abreast of public affairs and wanted to vote. Prye died before the suit could be resolved, but additional plaintiffs, including Missouri Protection and Advocacy, have been added. The suit argues that the law violates his rights to Due Process and Equal Protection as well as rights guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. The State of Missouri has claimed that the ADA is unconstitutional as applied, if it applies, so the United States intervened to defend the constitutionality of the statute as applied to state voting laws.