Transparency ― opening a public window on the grinding gears of government and party politics ― is all the rage these days.
The clamor for a more open, democratic process is most evident in the fierce blowback lawmakers are facing over a plan to gut the state’s Open Public Records Act, a crucial yet imperfect tool used by the public and the press to keep tabs on the inner workings of government.
It’s the law that forces the public entities to release government documents, ranging from routine to sensitive and internal. They are the type of documents that officials would prefer to keep under seal. But legislators are in a rush to tighten that seal, sparking an uproar that caught many by surprise…
There are still obstacles on the short-term agenda. For one, a separate federal court case, Conforti v. Hanlon, could have far reaching implications. The case, which may be heard in the fall, could permanently banish the “county line” bracketing for both parties. The 3rd Circuit ruling last week applies only to Democratic contests in the June 4 primary.
Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose analysis of the county line power served as crucial evidence in the most recent federal rulings, believes legislative leaders will try to preempt the Conforti case by passing “reforms” that allow for changes in ballots while preserving their power to select and bracket candidates.
Still, Sass Rubin believes that there is now momentum for a change that, for at least the time being, has weakened the power of the party machines.
“I do think that there is an opening for real reforms,” she said. “I’m not naïve. I don’t think it’s like a switch is going to go off.” Yet she cited the surprising number of legislators who publicly endorsed discarding the old balloting system, and how candidates for governor in 2025 have also gone on record calling for permanently reforming the ballots.
