A federal judge agreed Friday to block New Jersey’s unique primary ballot design, which has been widely criticized for increasing the chances of partisan candidates. The judge acknowledged the unusual nature of the order and said the “integrity of democratic practice” was at stake.
The ruling shakes up the foundations of New Jersey’s primary ballots, which in most counties are created by grouping candidates with party support. That means the names of people who run without establishment support could end up in hard-to-find places on ballots.
Opponents of the system argued that it would be “harsh” on party-backed candidates. The defendants in the case, most of the state’s county clerks who design ballots, argued primarily that they did not have enough time to redesign the ballots.
Republicans see a possible solo bid by Menendez in a crowded race as an opportunity to flip the Senate.
U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi granted a preliminary injunction sought by Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and two other candidates in the lawsuit.
Photo of the New Jersey State Capitol General Assembly Hall in Trenton, New Jersey. (Getty Images)
“The court wants to be clear that it recognizes the magnitude of its decision. The integrity of the democratic process of the primary is at stake, and the relief sought by the plaintiffs is extraordinary. ” Quraishi said.
Kim called the ruling a victory in an emailed statement. A lawyer representing the defendants declined to comment.
Kim’s lawsuit was filed during a contentious primary race with First Lady Tammy Murphy to succeed federally indicted Sen. Bob Menendez. The problem for Kim was that Murphy had the support of party leaders in populous counties, which meant she had favorable voting positions.
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Murphy withdrew from the race on Sunday.
