Court sides with GOP on Conn. ballot dispute

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The Connecticut Supreme Court has sided with state Republicans, agreeing their candidates should appear on the top line of the November election ballot.

In a unanimous decision posted Wednesday, the justices agreed state law requires Republican candidates to be placed on the top line.

The GOP took Secretary of the State Denise Merrill to court after she denied their request to change the order of the ballot.

The Republicans said their candidates should have the top line because Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was only able to win in 2010 with the votes he received as a Working Families Party candidate. Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley garnered more votes as a Republican than Malloy did as a Democrat.

A full written opinion from the court has not yet been released.