An Assembly Select Committee this morning moved A-5116, which makes changes to the design of primary election ballots and certain related primary election procedures; provides for ballots to be arranged by office block; and requires reporting on primary elections by the state Division of Elections.
Consenting with a judge’s order brought on by a lawsuit filed by then-U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3), the bill would effectively eliminate the county line, require block voting, and dispense with “Ballot Siberia” for those candidates unaffiliated with the establishment.
“It is very historic,” said Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-35).
“What we’ve accomplished so far and the spirit in which we’ve accomplished it… is something we should all be proud of,” said Assemblyman Al Barlas (R-40).
“Nothing in this bill prevents someone from being in the top draw,” the Assemblyman added.
Wimberly and Barlas co-chaired the committee, which unanimously passed the bill out of committee.
At its core, the bill prohibits primary election ballots from being designed in a way that separates any one candidate from other candidates running for the same office, places a candidate with candidates for a different office, or awards ballot position to a candidate based upon the draw for ballot position conducted for a candidate for a different office. The bill also gives discretion to county clerks to arrange and design the ballot in either landscape or portrait orientation.
“Elections are about voters and a testament to our democracy,” said Barlas.
For his part, Wimberly noted that New Jersey has a problem when voters don’t participate in primary elections, a situation not helped by ballots that essentially precondition the results.
Moving the bill today, the committee did its part -to fulfill an order by District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi to design constitutional primary ballots that scrap party line bracketing, or what New Jersey commonly refers to as “the party line.”
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A committee in New Jersey has recently advanced a bill that would eliminate the county party line, a long-standing tradition in the state’s political system. The bill, which has been met with both support and opposition, aims to increase transparency and fairness in the election process.
The county party line, also known as the “county line,” is a practice in which political parties in each county endorse a slate of candidates for various offices. These candidates are then listed together on the ballot under the party’s banner, giving them an advantage over other candidates who are not endorsed by the party.
Supporters of the bill argue that the county party line system gives too much power to political party bosses and limits the choices available to voters. By eliminating the county party line, they believe that candidates will be judged based on their qualifications and platforms rather than their party affiliation.
Opponents of the bill, however, argue that the county party line is an important part of New Jersey’s political tradition and helps to maintain party unity and cohesion. They believe that eliminating the county party line could lead to more fragmentation within political parties and make it harder for voters to distinguish between candidates.
The bill has sparked a heated debate among lawmakers and political activists in New Jersey. Some see it as a necessary step towards reforming the state’s political system, while others view it as an attack on the established order.
If the bill is ultimately passed into law, it could have far-reaching implications for future elections in New Jersey. Candidates would no longer be able to rely on the county party line for automatic endorsement, forcing them to campaign more vigorously and reach out to a broader base of voters.
Overall, the advancement of this bill represents a significant development in New Jersey politics. Whether it will ultimately be signed into law remains to be seen, but its impact on the state’s political landscape is sure to be profound.
