Whatever the results are in New Jersey next week, the 2024 primaries will be historic, as they are the first since a federal judge effectively threw out the use of “party lines” on Democratic ballots and likely soon on Republican ones as well.
And while her name may not get mentioned much on election night, Rutgers professor Julia Sass Rubin will be largely responsible, as her research into the impact of the party line was the source material used to dismantle the design.
“I think the most immediate impact will be more people will run for office,” she said. “Not this election cycle, because the deadline has already passed. But I think we will see more people running going forward, and I think we will see a much more diverse slate of candidates. You have an overwhelmingly male and white legislature, and I think the county line has a big role in that.”
