A new draft of the ballot design legislation obtained by the New Jersey Globe provides office block ballots, protects candidates’ right to associate by using common slogans, and permits candidates running for the same office to be grouped together.
But other ideas that were included in a bill draft last week, including the rotation and randomization of candidate names on the ballot, placing physical {brackets} around the names of candidates running together for the same office, and the option to designate incumbency, are now gone from the bill.
The Assembly Select Committee on Ballot Design is expected to vote on the draft bill tomorrow.
The changes were expected after a meeting of Assembly Democrats yesterday, which left the initial proposal without enough support to pass.
“Office block ballots list the names of candidates seeking the same office under the title of the office. Each office block is listed separately from other office blocks,” the new draft bill states.
The new bill reduces the number of words in a ballot slogan to six, from seven last week. Candidates already holding office would no longer be able to designate themselves as “incumbent.”
The bill specifically ends the practice of “Ballot Siberia” that offers preferential placement of some candidates over others, frequently at the direction of party leaders.
County clerks will have the discretion to design horizontal or vertical ballots.
Certain ballot design standards, including names in upper and lower case and with a font of “at least 12 points” are incorporated.
The legislation will require the Division of Elections to submit a written report after the first primary using the new ballot design law that includes feedback from election officials.
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September 2, 2020 -
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