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Do Party Chairmen Still Hold Power in New Jersey Now That the Party Line Is Gone?

Political analyst Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at Rutgers University who has studied the county line’s effects, argues that while the change is a step toward fairness, party chairmen retain significant sway. “The line’s removal weakens their ability to directly control ballot placement, but these leaders still command loyalty, fundraising networks, and grassroots operations,” Rubin said. “They’ve lost a tool, not their toolbox.”

County conventions were all the rage in NJ. Now candidates are skipping out.

“The fact that so many people are choosing not to go through the process really highlights just how powerful the county line itself is in determining who wins the primary, putting aside all that other stuff,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose research was cited in overturning the line. “The candidates feel like they can afford to do this now. They don’t have to drop out if they’re not the favorite daughter or son, and they don’t have to go through the process of getting endorsed.”

NJSPL: Affordable Housing Database for Older Adults in NJ

A collaboration between the New Jersey State Policy Lab and the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration addressed this gap by compiling a census of all housing apartments available for older adults with low income.  The census is available to the public to view here and includes a searchable database and an interactive map of New Jersey, representing existing and potential assisted living program sites throughout the state.

NJSPL Report: Higher Education in New Jersey – A Policy Review

New Jersey’s state higher education plan, “Where Opportunity Meets Innovation – A Student-Centered Vision for New Jersey Higher Education” (the Plan), was introduced in 2019. It envisions an ecosystem where every resident can attain high-quality credentials regardless of their circumstances.

2025 IHC Grant Program Funding Opportunities

The grant program seeks to advance practice, systems and environmental changes to enhance healthy community outcomes for people with disabilities who also may experience societal discrimination as a result of, but not limited to age, race, socioeconomic or immigration status, and/or sexual orientation.

NJSPL: Key Insights on NJ College Completion

In December 2024, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center released a report on credential attainment among college students nationwide[1]. The six-year completion rate in New Jersey continued its upward trajectory, with the 2018 cohort achieving a completion rate of 61%, representing a 0.9 percentage point gain from the previous cohort.

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