New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way will allow Brittany Claybrooks to be on the ballot for the July special Democratic congressional primary.
Way, the lieutenant governor, is accepting the decision filed last night by Administrative Law Judge Susan Guerrero after twice remanding a challenge to Claybrooks’ nominating petitions back to the judge for incorrect legal findings. She said Guerrero addressed her concerns in a new ruling that followed a four-hour hearing on Wednesday.
“The additional testimony allowed ALJ Guerrero to make factual findings as to which individuals circulated each of the seven booklets,” said Way.
Late last night, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Counsel Raj Parikh filed a letter with Way suggesting that upholding Guerrero’s decision “would continue to represent a significant shift in the Division of Election’s standard regarding its obligation to ensure that the nominating petition process is free of fraud and abuse and would render the rigid requirements of (the statute) irrelevant.”
“What is the point of having a statutory scheme for ballot access if the law does not even need to be loosely followed?” Parikh asked.
Gov. Phil Murphy called the special election earlier this month to fill the unexpired term of Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-Newark) following his death on April 24. There will be a special primary on July 16 and a special election on September 18.
On Wednesday evening, Way affirmed a decision by Administrative Law Judge Kim Belin to keep another candidate, Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver, on the ballot.
Unless one of the candidates files a challenge in Superior Court, the book on the petition process for the 10th district congressional race appears to be over.
Claybrooks is a former East Orange city councilwoman who served as North Jersey Political Director for Andy Kim’s U.S. Senate campaign.
Linden Mayor Derek Armstead, Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker, former Payne staffer Shana Melius, and Darryl Godfrey, the COO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, are also in the race, along with John Flora, Debra Salters, Alberta Gordon, and Sheila Montague.