New Jersey gets tentative greenlight to remove ‘county line’ from Democratic primary ballots – Washington Examiner

New Jersey could have a new-look ballot with a federal appeals court slapping down an effort to keep the “county line” in place for the state’s Democratic primary ballot later this year.

The Wednesday decision by the federal appellate court not to block the injunction was another win for Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who has spearheaded the lawsuit to remove the controversial county line from state primary ballots.

The “county line” places candidates who are endorsed by that county’s political party on the top row or column of a ballot, placing other candidates further down the ballot. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against granting a stay pending an appeal filed by various county clerks against a district court’s preliminary injunction to block the “county line” ballot for the June Democratic primary.

The appeals court ordered an expedited schedule to consider the motion for a stay pending appeal of the preliminary injunction, setting oral arguments for April 12 at a federal courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After the court’s order, Warren County Clerk Holly Mackey and Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi voluntarily withdrew from the appeals court case.

Kim, who is the front-runner in the Democratic primary for Sen. Bob Menendez‘s (D-NJ) seat, has pushed back on the current ballot format calling it “unfair” and praised the district court’s injunction, which has blocked the “county line” as a “victory for a fairer, more democratic politics in New Jersey.”

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Since Kim has led the vocal opposition to the ballot system, state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have expressed their willingness to change the ballot format in state law.

New Jersey’s Senate primary is scheduled for June 4. Kim’s main opponent in the primary, New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy, dropped out of the race last month — meaning he is likely to be the Democratic Party’s nominee in November.

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