A court ruling has nixed the so-called “county line” from ballots in this year’s New Jersey Democratic primary races — but in much of Essex County this year, candidates endorsed by the party machine are still getting coveted top slots on the ballot. That’s even after a process meant to randomize positions so that officials designing ballots can’t deliberately give any candidate an advantage over another.
This year’s Democratic primary ballots will use the “office block” format typical throughout the rest of the country, though it’s up to clerks in each county to come up with a specific design. Candidates for each race are grouped in a box, or “block” — such as President Joe Biden and primary challenger Terrisa Bukovinac in one box. The ballots being used by Essex County Democrats in the 11th Congressional District put races for five positions side by side.
Because candidates endorsed by the Essex County Democratic Committee appear in the first position of each box, it creates the appearance of a row of party-backed candidates straight across the top — mimicking the “county line” that party officials have long used to influence races, and that’s been barred in this year’s races. There are other candidates also seeking four of those seats, and odds of the endorsed candidate getting the first position for all four of those boxes through a randomized drawing is just 4.2%.
“The odds would suggest that it’s not an accident,” said Scott Salmon, an attorney who specializes in New Jersey election law.” However, he was not present for the April 4 ballot draw, and did not allege there was evidence of wrongdoing.
Essex County Clerk Christopher J. Durkin did not return a message seeking comment.
Government reformers say Essex County’s ballot illustrates how even without the country line, New Jersey relies on unnecessarily dated ways of randomizing ballot positions that can undermine public confidence. In past lawsuits, Republicans have…
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