The State of Jersey Politics

March 9, 2026

THE STATE OF JERSEY POLITICS: A group of local Democrats gathered at the Westwood Community Center on Sunday for a forum on big changes in Jersey’s always-active political world. The event — organized by local Dem leader Ruth Dugan — featured talk of the Roxbury ICE battle, the death of the county line, and whether the state should implement ranked-choice voting. Rutgers University professor Julia Sass Rubin said the county line’s demise has led to more candidates, an uptick in voter turnout, and 11% of the 57 Democrats in the Assembly winning their seats despite not getting a county party endorsement. “This feels like small steps, but they’re not. … Ending the county line opens up the possibility for real reform in our state,” Rubin said.

NJ.com, March 9, 2026

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