Dems seek to knock Green Party gubernatorial candidate off the ballot

Democrats are challenging the nominating petitions of the new Green Party candidate for governor, Lily Benavides, alleging that her petition lacks the required 2,000 signatures needed to appear on the ballot.

An administrative law judge will hear the challenge today.

Prominent election lawyer Raj Parikh, representing the Morris County Democratic Committee, claims entire petition booklets must be tossed due to circulator defects, and that some signatories are not registered to vote or face other challenges.

Benavides joined the race last week after the Green Party’s initial candidate, Stephen N. Zielinski, Sr., withdrew from the race earlier this month due to serious health issues.

Party leaders selected his running mate, Lily Benavides, to replace him on the ballot. However, as a minor party, the only way to secure a ballot position was to reopen the petition process and gather at least 2,000 signatures on a new petition.

In 2024, the Green Party ran candidates for U.S. Senate and in all twelve congressional districts; this year, the party fielded Zielinski and just two Assembly candidates: Robin Brownfield in the Camden-based 5th district and Steve Welzer in the Mercer/Middlesex 14th.

The last three Green Party candidates polled under one-half of one percent: Madelyn Hoffman (2021), Seth Haper Dale (2017), Welzer (2013), Jerry Coleman (2001), and Hoffman (1997); the top Green Party performer in a New Jersey governor’s race was Matthew Thielke, who received seven-tenths of one-percent in 2005.  The Green Party did not field a candidate in 2009.