U.S. District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi’s decision to strike down organization lines for the June 2024 primary election and replace them with office block ballots applies only to Democrats, leaving lines intact for the Republican primary.
“This court declines to extend the scope of its decision beyond the limitations of the present litigation,” Quraishi said in an order today. “Nonetheless, nothing in this court’s March 29, 2024 Order prevents the Republican Party and its leadership from appreciating this Court’s preliminary injunction and taking steps to amend the ballot system for its primary election similar to what this court has ordered for the Democratic Primary.”
Late yesterday, Morris County GOP Vice Chair Peter King asked Quraishi to clarify whether his order applied to both parties since Republicans never challenged the constitutionality of the line.
“The matter currently before the court was limited to an injunction related to the June 4, 2024, Democratic Primary brought by three Democratic candidates for federal office,” said King, an attorney representing the Morris County Republicans.
Quraishi responded today by saying the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) and two Democratic congressional candidates “must be, limited to the 2024 Democratic Primary Election.”
“Plaintiffs’ allegations and sought relief only applied to the 2024 Democratic Primary Election.”
That means ballots in nineteen counties must use office block ballots for Democrats and the traditional organization lines for Republicans.
Seventeen county election officials are seeking to stay Quraishi’s order and plan to appeal to the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Quraishi GOP ruling