After a ruling by New Jersey Superior Court Judge Jeff Masin banning the use of the “county line” on primary election ballots, counties across the state have been forced to redesign their ballots. The county line, which traditionally placed candidates endorsed by the local party organization in a prominent position at the top of the ballot, was deemed unconstitutional as it unfairly favored these candidates over others.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by a group of progressive activists who argued that the county line system gave an unfair advantage to candidates backed by the party establishment. Judge Masin agreed, stating that the system “perpetuates the political party bosses’ influence.”
In order to comply with the ruling, counties have had to make significant changes to their ballots. In some cases, this has meant rearranging the order of candidate names or removing the county line endorsement altogether. For example, in Middlesex County, candidates are now listed alphabetically on the primary ballot, while in Ocean County, the county line endorsement has been removed entirely.
While the redesign of ballots has caused some confusion among voters and candidates, many see it as a step towards a more fair and transparent election process. Critics of the county line system argue that it stifles competition and discourages new candidates from running for office.
Overall, the ruling has prompted counties in New Jersey to rethink the way they conduct primary elections and has sparked a larger conversation about the role of political party influence in the electoral process. It remains to be seen how these changes will impact future elections in the state.
Source
Photo credit news.google.com