Insider candidates and the politically connected benefited from the layout of New Jersey’s primary ballot in July, according to a new study released Thursday.
New Jersey is the only state in the country that allows each county to design its ballot to give preference to candidates with a party endorsement.
“The advantage provided by the county line, especially for lesser known candidates, shifts the power away from the voters and shifts it towards a small group of party insiders,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers University professor and author of the study.