N.J. advocates call for elections reform amid historic federal court hearing

As a U.S. District Court judge hears a historic challenge to New Jersey’s broken “county line” ballot design, advocates across the state issued the following statements calling for fundamental reforms to strengthen New Jersey’s democracy:

New Jersey Working Families Party joined the first lawsuit to abolish the line in 2021 after seeing the corrosive effects this unconstitutional practice has on our democracy. The current Senate primary has only highlighted what advocates have been saying for years: It’s time for voters, and not special interests, to select the candidates who will represent them in their local municipalities, in Trenton and in Washington. We are especially buoyed by Attorney General Matt Platkin’s brave filing in this case made just yesterday, that underscores many of the arguments that have been made and demonstrate just how indefensible the current system is. With the momentum of advocates behind us, we’re confident that we are on the cusp of structural change to strengthen our democracy and put voters back in the drivers’ seat of our political system

— Antoinette Miles, State Director, New Jersey Working Families Party

Abolishing the county line is a critical step towards breaking the stranglehold that party bosses have over who gets elected and who can hold onto their elected positions. Some party bosses use the power of the line to forge alliances with wealthy special interest donors, putting their needs above the needs of the people of New Jersey, and compelling lawmakers to fall in line or face the possibility of losing their seat. Abolishing the line will help ensure elected leaders are much more representative of our state’s diverse population, allow elected leaders to prioritize the needs of their constituents, and put political power back where it belongs — in the hands of New Jersey voters. 

— Dena Mottola Jaborska, Executive Director, New Jersey Citizen Action

As a former congressional candidate, I’ve seen firsthand how the line forestalls true competition and allows party bosses to anoint winners in primaries at every level of government. It’s time time to put the power back in the hands of the people and abolish this broken system!

— Arati Kreibich, Former congressional candidate and plaintiff in the Conforti case

When we started working on abolishing the line, 7 years ago it was clear to us that the line is at the heart of every issue, every interest, anything that any organization wants to change in this state. Scratch a bit, and beneath the surface of whatever is causing you to hit a wall, you will find the power of the line. Now, the genie is out of the bottle and voters are ready to reclaim our state. It’s time that our votes, not those of party chairs, determine who represents us. It is the only way we can get accountability of representatives to us, the voters, not to power brokers.” 

— Yael Niv, President, Good Government Coalition of New Jersey

For decades, New Jersey’s ballots have totally warped election outcomes, taking power away from voters and allowing party insiders to pick winners. The line on the ballot not only determines who runs and who wins, but who is prioritized in the policymaking process. When candidates want to run on the line, they have to get in line, and that’s bad for democracy and bad for good government. The facts are on our side, the momentum is on our side, and we’re not going to stop until we abolish the line.

— Louis Di Paolo, Vice President of New Jersey Policy Perspective