Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald is exploring legislation to raise the number of petition signatures a candidate needs on the primary election ballot in New Jersey, a move that could make it more difficult for less serious candidates to run for public office, the New Jersey Globe has learned.
The new plan includes raising the number of petition signatures needed to seek statewide office, Congress, and the New Jersey Legislature. Each new cycle attracts candidates with no viable path to winning; some view the grassroots test of gathering signatures over a three-month period as an effective early test of strength.
Candidates currently need 1,000 signatures to run for governor or U.S. Senate, 200 to seek a seat in Congress, and 100 to get on the ballot for State Senate or Assembly.
The new numbers have not been decided.
There have been complaints in the past about the one-size-fits-all plan to get on the ballot for the legislature. In the 28th district, candidates from both parties need 100 signatures; that’s easy when there are 91,469 Democrats, but not so much for the 6,657 Republicans.
Greenwald is expected to propose an increase in signatures for county and municipal office based proportional to the size of the political subdivision. That means it would take more signatures to get on the ballot for county commissioner in Bergen County than in Salem County.
New Jersey has not changed its petition signature requirements in decades, and ballot access in New Jersey is easier than in most other states.
The plan does not include independent candidates in general elections or non-partisan municipal, school board, and fire commissioner contests.
Greenwald wants his bill, which has not yet been drafted, to move along with one requiring office block ballots in primary elections. The Assembly is preparing to consider that bill later this month.
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