Princeton, NJ – On Tuesday, June 4, Primary Election Day in New Jersey, Julia Sass Rubin played a significant role despite her name not appearing on any ballot. Rubin, the Associate Dean of Academic Programs at Rutgers University's Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, dedicated extensive time to advocating for a fairer ballot system.
Rubin spearheaded efforts to introduce the Office Block Ballot for Democratic Primary voters, replacing the Party Line or County Line Endorsed Ballot. This initiative aligns with her commitment to enhancing democratic processes. "My passionate fight for a better democratic process of having our voices heard can be traced to initiatives by the Christie administration to slash funding for public education," she said.
Despite her academic titles as Director of the Public Policy Program and an Associate Professor at Bloustein, Rubin's venture into New Jersey state politics stems from opposition to policies enacted by former Republican Governor Chris Christie. "That is what started me down this road as not just a public policy academic but also as an advocate for reforms to strengthen democracy in New Jersey," she explained.
In 2010, Rubin co-founded Save Our Schools NJ alongside other Princeton mothers, including former Mayor Liz Lempert. The grassroots organization aims to ensure high-quality public education for all New Jersey children and keeps communities informed about educational issues.
Rubin's involvement intensified when severe cuts in state funding affected local school districts and pushed for school vouchers. A meeting with then-Princeton School Superintendent Judy Wilson marked the beginning of her efforts toward electoral reform. Her goals include eliminating county line ballots in primary elections and ensuring nonpartisan election administration.
Rubin’s husband, Greg Stankiewicz, who served on the Princeton School Board from 2016-2019, supports her endeavors due to their shared interest in public policy and social justice. They met as undergraduates at Harvard University and later reconnected after earning their PhDs—his from Princeton and hers from Harvard. While Rubin focuses on democracy reform, Stankiewicz works on improving public schools in low-income communities as the statewide coordinator for the NJ Community Schools Coalition.
Their daughter Raisa Rubin-Stankiewicz recently graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University and now works as a policy analyst for the NJ Coalition to End Homelessness. Raisa has been involved in advocacy since high school when she joined VOTE 16USA’s youth advisory board pushing to lower the voting age in local elections.
Reflecting on her background, Rubin shared that she was born in St. Petersburg, Russia but spent part of her childhood between Russia and Ukraine before moving to Israel and eventually settling in Ogden, Utah with her stepfather Abe Rubin.
Julia Sass Rubin's family continues their tradition of engaging deeply with community issues during meals—a practice that underscores their ongoing commitment to public service and social justice.
###
