There are a lot of soundbites out there in the social media and email universe about how bad “the line” is for democracy, yet the soundbite yellers are somehow ok with a federal court judge rewriting NJ election statutes.  Americans have a right to associate for political activities.  To quote my colleague, a former Superior Court Judge, Chairman Michael Donahue, “This is the highest form of our freedom of association as Americans and is protected by the first Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.”

Here’s what the soundbite yellers are not mentioning or maybe don’t know:  ANY CANDIDATE(S), NOT JUST COUNTY POLITICAL PARTIES can create their own line and associate and bracket with other candidates.  In the Morris County GOP convention, county committee members elected to represent their constituents in their neighborhoods, come together and vote on endorsed candidates.  They know the candidates well because they are the grassroots members of the Republican party.  Their knowledge and experience are invaluable.

Last year in Morris County, the candidates that didn’t win the county convention created their own line. After they bracketed together, they also got Column 1 on our primary ballot, which was a better position than where our County party ended up on Column 2.

Also, let’s not forget that in a general election, there are also two or more lines – Republican, Democrat and others.  Political parties exercise their statutory rights in a general election to associate.  These rights aren’t just exercised in Primary elections.

I look forward to our Constitutional rights being protected moving forward and assuring fair and transparent elections.

Thank you for your time,

Laura Marie Ali, Chairwoman of the Morris County Republican Party