The ballot redesign bill is approaching its final steps, with lawmakers expected to finalize the legislation by Monday.
A special joint legislative committee met Thursday for what might be its last session, addressing unresolved issues in the bill. Key discussions focused on a controversial bracketing rule and a provision barring candidates from using political party names in their slogans without county party approval. Lawmakers have promised to revise the latter before the upcoming vote.
Currently, the bill prohibits candidates from using major party names without county authorization, a move critics argue would revive the discredited county-line ballot system. Kate Delaney, president of South Jersey Progressive Democrats, criticized the measure, calling it harmful.
“This would, in essence, do what the line has done all these years: establish one side of Democrats as the real Democrats and the other side in some way as a cheap copy,” Delaney said.
Assemblyman Al Barlas, the Republican co-chair, defended the rule’s intent, claiming it aims to prevent misuse of political affiliations. He assured that changes would be made before the vote.
The committee’s efforts follow a federal ruling that declared New Jersey’s county-line ballot system unconstitutional. The ruling mandates a shift to neutral, office-block ballot designs. Henal Patel of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice emphasized the need to remove candidate grouping to enhance voter choice and advocated for random ballot positioning and occasional rotation.
Peter Chen, a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, called for modernization, criticizing the current hand-draw method used for ballot placement. “It is not the most effective way of doing this, having to hold the box over your head and shake it,” Chen said.
Not everyone agrees with randomization. Former candidate Jill LaZare argued it could confuse voters, making it harder for candidates to locate their preferred choice on the ballot. Barlas acknowledged logistical challenges, noting that computerized and rotated ballots may not be feasible until the 2025 primaries. However, he highlighted progress in eliminating practices like “ballot Siberia,” where candidates were relegated to inconspicuous ballot positions.
While the Assembly has taken the lead on ballot reform, the Senate has yet to hold hearings or weigh in publicly. Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly suggested that Senate leaders are closely monitoring the process.
Advocates praised parts of the bill but called for further improvements. Maura Collinsgru of New Jersey Citizen Action expressed cautious optimism. “There are some things that are right, and there are still some things we think should be improved on,” Collinsgru said.
With the deadline looming, lawmakers face increasing pressure to ensure New Jersey’s ballots are fair, clear, and ready for the next election season.
