Barlas bill seeks prohibition on do-it-yourself nominating petitions

Legislation introduced by Assemblyman Al Barlas (R-Cedar Grove) would ban homemade, do-it-yourself nominating petitions for primary and general elections.

The bill would require candidates competing in primary and general elections to use the official forms available from the Secretary of State, the county clerk, or the municipal clerk.

Last week, Administrative Law Judge Catherine Tuohy opened the door to candidates creating their own petition forms when she allowed an independent candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district to create his own.  She said Vincent Matrisciano’s petition substantially complied with New Jersey election law despite a series of departures from the state’s official documents.

Secretary of State Dale Caldwell rejected Tuohy’s decision, saying some necessary language was left off the petition.

Barlas wants to make it crystal clear to judges that candidates can’t create their own documents.

Matrisciano submitted 282 signatures, 32 more than the 250 required to qualify. But instead of using the state’s model petition forms, he drafted his own documents after being unable to locate the official forms prominently displayed on the Division of Elections website.

The homemade petition omitted language required by statute stating that signers had not signed another nominating petition for the same office. His oath of allegiance and circulator affidavits also differed from the state’s standard forms.