OPINION
For the last several years, the “party line” has become the dominant topic of discussion in New Jersey politics. It is no secret that this debate has become particularly divisive in the midst of our Democratic Primary for United States Senate.
One of the many unfortunate by-products of this debate is that the term “party line” has come to encompass everything from the ballot design to the ability of county parties to endorse candidates to how those endorsements are determined. Each of these pieces is separate and distinct and should not be conflated.
Our state is unique in that we have a distinct party system from county to county and across political parties. This may mean different rules of candidate vetting and selection from county to county, as well as distinct means of advocacy. However, in our Democratic Party, those rules have been put in place and tweaked through time by registered Democrats from all walks of life over decades and should be celebrated for what we have all achieved together.
Instead, we find ourselves at a crossroads of condemnation that has grown so loud in the middle of a divisive Primary battle that we can barely hear each candidate on the issues that will come to define our nation.
You may ask, what have we Democrats achieved together? As Democrats, we have been on the frontlines in the fight to preserve and protect every woman’s reproductive rights, we have fought for marriage equality, we have worked to provide a living wage for every New Jerseyan, and we have pushed for inclusivity and financial equity and racial and gender equality at every level of government. We have all worked to try and ensure that our legislature better reflects those they represent and, together, we have made tremendous strides.
In the heat of this pitched debate, I believe some may have lost sight of some fundamental truths. County parties are independent legal organizations that have the right to select which candidates they will support, and how that support will manifest. They have the right to create a team of candidates with shared values and common interests. That right to associate is enshrined in the Constitution and should be protected and preserved.
Long before there was the existential crisis to our democracy that is Donald Trump, there were organizers in Hackensack bringing people out to phone bank for the county party’s endorsed candidates over a tin of ziti and people “knocking and dragging” out voters over on Elizabeth Avenue in Newark and party stalwarts putting up signs along Route 18 in East Brunswick. That work has been ongoing and, in many instances, it is what helped our Democratic Party move from the minority to the majority, block by block, street by street, and town by town, even before Donald Trump.
But I don’t believe the party stalwarts and long-time workers are the focus of this fight and I do not believe anyone intended to make their work and their efforts as members of county party organizations become the intersection of rhetoric. In fact, I have read more than once that this is not about county party organization endorsements or support, it is simply about having a uniform state-wide ballot and, in particular, preventing anyone from ever again being banished simply because they are not the county party organization’s preferred candidate.
I completely agree. That’s why I believe strongly that ballots should be uniform across all counties.
As it currently stands, ballot design today is within the purview of the county clerks, which leads to the potential for 21 different versions of a ballot ranging from block voting to the extreme “ballot Siberia” employed by some counties. Voting is a right, not a privilege, and voters deserve simple-to-understand ballots that help them make this important decision. Ballot uniformity should be addressed by our legislature in a careful, thoughtful manner and, as with any voting rights change, it must come with a voter education campaign that informs voters.
Given the enormity of the task, I would advocate that the legislature spends the rest of this year working on the legislation, with any changes to be implemented next year. Such a time frame will allow for the proper design implementation and necessary voter education.
Much has been written and discussed about block voting. I am not opposed to block voting or any other fair, uniform ballot design measure that brings clarity to the voting process. Candidates must always speak to the voters and make their case and the design of the ballot should not dictate how much work needs to be done. Good candidates who speak directly to voters should be the candidates that win.
I believe strongly that the important work being undertaken today by different factions of our Party will only serve to strengthen us as we move forward. Soon we will vote for a candidate to represent the Democratic Party in November’s General Election and it will be time for us all to again stand side by side in the fight for the things in which we all believe. With Donald Trump on the ballot, that fight begins with the very preservation of our democracy.
Throughout our history we have proven time and again that constructive criticism and the clash of ideas can often lead to the next great compromise. I believe a fair and equitable ballot initiative undertaken and codified by our Legislature and with input from county clerks, advocates, and with public participation, is an important next step for New Jersey voters.