The commission stated, “The partisan system has caused elected officials to oppose the other party's ideas for strictly political reasons in divided government, and when there is one-party control, there has been infighting on public display that has prevented...
Topic
elections
A lawsuit challenging NJ’s uniquely abysmal, toady-rewarding ballot system moves forward
There is a federal lawsuit filed by Pugach and a group of former candidates and advocacy groups that challenge the primary ballot system as unconstitutional, which received a de-facto vote of confidence from a federal judge on May 31, when the court ruled a motion to...
Challengers win right to fight ‘party line’ ballots
In primary elections, some candidates are grouped in a horizontal or vertical line by their county party, such as the Camden County Democrat Committee or Democrats for Change. This is called a “county line” or “party line.” Nineteen out of the state’s 21 counties use...
The New Jersey political tradition of landing the party line on primary ballots could end
"Abolishing the county line would be an earthquake for New Jersey politics,'' said Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy who has been counseling local municipal parties about reform efforts. "Our entire...
Addressing voter turnout in Black and brown communities
Some advocates say systemic issues can prevent NJ residents, especially in Black and Brown communities, from exercising their right to vote. Professor Julia Sass Rubin's research showing New Jersey is the only state with the line is discussed. NJ Spotlight News, May...
The Trump aftermath and the “not normal” future of the GOP
A political check-in to talk about the current state of the Republican party and what the power struggle in the GOP means for the country.