Andy Kim defeats NJ’s ‘county line’ boss system in court
By DANIEL HAN, Politico 3/29/2024 12:32 PM EDT
New Jersey’s controversial ballot design that gives party-backed candidates an advantage will be scrapped in the June primary, a federal judge ruled on Friday.
U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi granted the preliminary injunction sought by Rep. Andy Kim and two Congressional candidates to eliminate the so-called county line, a feature unique to New Jersey elections that has given local party bosses inordinate influence over elections, in the June primary. In 19 of 21 counties in the state, candidates backed by county political parties appear in a single column or row, placing them more prominently on primary ballots and giving them a nearly insurmountable edge.
New Jersey ballot design scrapped by judge (The Hill)
Judge orders New Jersey to redesign primary ballot (WHYY)
The judge ordered the use of office block ballots for the June primary, where candidates are placed together by the office they are seeking. His ruling applies to all offices on the ballot.
“The integrity of the democratic process for a primary election is at stake, and the remedy Plaintiffs are seeking is extraordinary,” Quraishi wrote in his opinion. He added that the plaintiffs “have met their burden and that this is the rare instance when mandatory relief is warranted. “
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