Lawyers on behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Johnson sent Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests to New Jersey’s twenty-one county Boards of Elections, according to a release distributed by the Johnson campaign.

Johnson wants all documents concerning the county’s methods, policies, and practices for positioning Democratic gubernatorial candidates on the ballot, as well as the ballot the county intends to use and documents concerning the county’s process for finalizing the ballot used in the 2017 Democratic primary.

“Fair ballots are crucial for fair elections. In New Jersey, our ballot design process is undemocratic and confusing. We give priority ballot position to candidates that receive the backing of party bosses and political insiders, and voters have little idea as to how the rest of the process works,” said Johnson. “On Election Day, voters should easily be able to select the candidates of their choice, not navigate a ballot designed to favor the candidate who spends millions to buy the top spot. Now more than ever, our elections must be fair and transparent, and I have requested documents from every county Board of Elections to ensure that New Jersey’s ballot design process results in elections that reflect the will of the people.”

The OPRA law requires response within 7 days. In addition to the OPRA requests, Johnson has also announced that he will not attend the Mercer County Democratic Convention tonight. Johnson has decided he will not attend any county conventions due to their predetermined, exclusive, and undemocratic nature.