New Jersey Working Families State Director Antoinette Miles released the following statement today after U.S. District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi granted a preliminary injunction that ends the organization line for the 2024 primary election and mandates office block voting:
“It’s a new day in the history of New Jersey politics. Today’s historic ruling to abolish the line will strengthen New Jersey’s democracy by putting voters back in charge of selecting the candidates that will represent them in nearly every level of government. Judge Quraishi’s well-reasoned decision is the culmination of years of advocacy by the New Jersey Working Families Party and our partners, which brought the first lawsuit to abolish the line and established many of the arguments and factual record that prevailed today.
“Because of this landmark decision, county party bosses and clerks will no longer be able to unconstitutionally design ballots meant to elect favored candidates and party insiders. Candidates will now be answerable to voters at the ballot box — not corporate special interests who control the awarding of the line.
“This ruling demonstrates the power of organizing, as people across the state mobilized to fight for change once they realized the pernicious effects New Jersey’s broken ballot design system has on our democracy. We’re calling on county clerks and party chairs across the state to recognize this decision for the fundamental reform it represents.
“Yet today’s ruling is just the beginning. The movement we’ve built will continue to fight for fundamental reforms to make our democracy accountable to working people. We’re excited to see the fundamental changes this decision will have on our political system and will continue fighting every step of the way to make sure that our elected leaders listen to the people who put them in office — not political insiders in smoky back rooms.”