LINDEN – The allies of state Senator Nick Scutari (D-22) said they fear implementation at tonight’s county committee convention of paper ballots as Acting Chair Colleen Mahr’s way of circumventing a show of hands.

“Other than exercise our objection to a paper ballot we have an automatic suit because what she’s doing is resisting the count order [to follow the bylaws, which call for an open vote],” said Scutari, as he prepares for this evening’s convention at the Gran Centurions in Clark.

“A paper ballot is just another version of a machine except it’s more like high school,” the senator cracked.

Scutari and company celebrated this afternoon as the court scuttled an appeal by the Mahr wing to overturn yesterday’s ruling by a superior court judge to safeguard an open vote.