An administrative law judge has rejected the nominating petitions for Libertarian congressional candidate Clayton Pajunas in New Jersey’s 7th congressional district.
Judge Carl V. Buck III found that 25 of the 72 signatures on his petition were invalid, leaving him three short of the 50 he needed.
The challenge was filed by Republican State Committee counsel Jason Sena.
The attempt to get Pujanas off the ballot appears to indicate that Republicans are concerned a Libertarian could draw away some votes from Republican Tom Kean, Jr. in a rematch of the 2020 campaign to unseat Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes). Malinowski won by one percentage point.
Given the narrow result in 2020, even a small number of voters could be very consequential.
After a hearing that lasted several hours on Tuesday, both sides agreed to strike 17 signatures after Sena successfully challenged them for numerous reasons, including lack of postal address, non-registered voters, and signers living outside of the 7th district.
Sena also suggested that signatures may have been forged, saying that 17 signatures were drawn with similar handwriting. Pajunas , who represented himself, rejected Sena’s allegations and called his opinion “unprofessional.” While Sena said he intended to get a handwriting expert to testify, he was unable to due to the short notice of the hearing.
“I’m not taking that into consideration, but I am taking individual snapshots,” Buck told Pajunas .
Buck found some signatures on the petition were different than what appears in the Statewide Voter Registration System but close enough to allow. However, Buck said eight others showed a “significant deviation” and struck those signatures.
The New Jersey Libertarian Party recruited candidates to run for Congress in all 12 districts. Pajunas ’ nominating petition was the only one challenged out of 34 independents who filed, the most in 30 years.
An obscure 1948 rule allows independent and third party candidates to get on the ballot with just 50 signatures, instead of the usual 200, in a redistricting year.
Buck’s ruling is mostly advisory. Acting New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way makes the final decision.
Another independent, Veronica Fernandez, will be on the 7th district ballot.
The newly-formed Moderate Party is expected to file a challenge to Way’s rejection of their bid to put Malinowski on the ballot for a second time as their candidate.