Lawmakers in Trenton have voted unanimously to release an amended bill aimed at abolishing New Jersey’s county line primary ballot. This voting system has been criticized for allowing party leaders to marginalize opponents, often relegating them to "ballot Siberia." The proposed reform would organize candidates by the office they are seeking.
Bloustein School Professor Julia Sass Rubin commented on the implications of the new bill: “Candidates could put, ‘Endorsed by Mercer County Democrats.’ There’s nothing in the bill I could find that prohibits that. And so it becomes a very visible cue on the ballot — which is the whole point of eliminating the county line.”
The legislation also gives county clerks authority to reject slogans, with candidates having the option to appeal these decisions. However, advocates are pushing for additional measures such as a booklet or a website providing information about each candidate.
