The political landscape in New Jersey has shifted significantly following the abolition of the "county line" ballot system. This change, resulting from a federal judge's ruling in March 2024, affects Democratic primaries by replacing the county line with an "office block" ballot design. This new format lists candidates by the office they seek rather than party endorsement.
For decades, the county line system gave party-endorsed candidates a prominent position on primary ballots, often ensuring their victory. Critics argued that this setup granted party chairmen considerable influence over election outcomes, sidelining challengers and reducing competition. The recent ruling was spurred by a lawsuit from Rep. Andy Kim during his U.S. Senate campaign.
The June 2024 primaries offered insight into this new era, showing increased competitiveness in some races. However, as New Jersey prepares for the 2025 gubernatorial primaries, opinions differ on whether the absence of the line has diminished party chairmen's power or simply forced them to adapt.
Julia Sass Rubin, a political analyst and professor at Rutgers University, suggests that while the change promotes fairness, party chairmen still hold significant influence. "The line’s removal weakens their ability to directly control ballot placement," Rubin stated. "But these leaders still command loyalty, fundraising networks, and grassroots operations."
Evidence from the 2024 primaries supports this view. In counties like Essex and Hudson, where Democratic Party chairs Leroy Jones and Anthony Vainieri have long dominated, endorsed candidates prevailed in most contested races despite losing the visual advantage of the county line. Insiders attribute this success to established political machines that mobilize voters through patronage and endorsements.
However, not all areas follow this pattern. In Monmouth County, where there is less party cohesion among Democrats, lesser-known candidates gained traction without the county line's influence. Brett Pugach, an attorney involved in the lawsuit against the county line system said: “It’s not a monolith... Where party bosses are entrenched, they’ll find ways to win. Where they’re not, voters have more say.”
In Ocean County—New Jersey's most heavily Republican-influenced area—even with or without a strong chairman like Frank Holman or George Gilmore—the party remains dominant despite some state-level defeats against their chosen candidates.
Local elections show varied results as well; when Democrats mounted viable campaigns in places like Brick Township and Toms River they succeeded against Republicans even without traditional advantages provided by having 'the line.'
