Stuart Shapiro asks Julia Rubin, why New Jersey has long been considered one of the most politically corrupt states. She explains how a consistent pattern of high-profile cases have contributed to this perception, citing the influence of the state’s longtime political machines and the now-abolished “county line” primary ballot that heavily favored party-backed candidates as primary examples. She also walks us through how years of research, lawsuits, and the more recent Menendez scandal have culminated in a major reform that replaced the county line with fairer office-block ballots, leading to more competitive races, higher voter turnout, and a growing number of reform-minded legislators.
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Julia Sass Rubin
Charter schools proposed as solution to New Jersey’s segregation crisis
Expect “huge political pushback,” says Rutgers education policy expert Julia Sass Rubin, who co-founded a grassroots group that opposes the expansion of charter schools without approval from the local school board and voters. Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie expanded charters dramatically in Newark and Camden but was blocked from a similar push in the suburbs.
Decision on major contract for Route 17 project shrouded in mystery
“We are a political machine state. Our citizens pay a corruption tax because when there is a lack of transparency and accountability it encourages, it opens the path to potential corruption and that is expensive for people,” Sass Rubin said.
Listing candidates twice on NYC ballot is part of fusion voting
Any votes for a candidate, regardless of the party line the vote is cast under, counts toward that candidate’s total. “Although candidates may appear on more than one party’s line, voters can only vote for them once,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers University public policy professor.
It’s Election Day: Here’s what to expect, from California to Virginia
“If Ciattarelli wins, it means that local New Jersey issues were prevalent because that’s how he’s running,” says Julia Sass Rubin, director of the public policy program at Rutgers-New Brunswick. If Ms. Sherrill wins, it would reflect “her success in making it a national race.”
N.J. gubernatorial hopefuls rely on a small slice of the state for cash
Julia Sass Rubin, the director of Rutgers University’s public policy program, said the trend is consistent with donations to nonpolitical nonprofits: fewer people making larger donations.
Julia Rubin: Who Should Be the Governor of New Jersey?
The New York Times Opinion convened a panel of 11 local leaders to assess the candidates for the Nov. 4 election, including Bloustein School professor Julia Sass Rubin. New Jersey voters face a critical choice on Nov. 4 when they choose between two very different...
Norcross machine Democrats file suit against Cherry Hill progressives over their election loss
“The voters overwhelmingly chose the progressives,” said Julia Sass Rubin,
“That means the … CDCC-endorsed candidates lost. That’s how democratic elections work. There is no consolation prize.”
A Progressive Perspective: New Jersey primary results reflect triumph of political party organizations
Professor Julia Sass Rubin, the acknowledged guru on the effects of the party line on New Jersey politics, thought the elimination of the county line would reduce the influence of party leaders and politics in New Jersey.
Who were the real losers in the 2025 NJ primary? County machines and bosses | Opinion
“If they can demonstrate that they still wield a lot of power, that will potentially ricochet to fewer candidates running in the future, and we’ll be back to largely where we were before,” Sass Rubin said.