End of The Line: ‘County Line’ Ballots Gone for Good After Last County Clerk Agrees to Settle in Court

Key points

• Bergen County Clerk becomes the last of 19 county clerks to settle and abandon defense of the 'county line' ballot system
• Office block ballots will replace the old system, eliminating preferential treatment for county party-backed candidates
• The settlement ends years of litigation challenging the primary ballot format that gave advantages to machine-endorsed candidates
• County line ballots had long been viewed as a tool that concentrated political power among party leadership rather than enabling grassroots candidate campaigns

FAQ

What exactly are 'county line' ballots?

County line ballots were a primary ballot format that organized candidates by county party endorsement rather than by office. This system gave preferential treatment to candidates backed by county party bosses, concentrating political power within party machines and disadvantaging grassroots or non-endorsed candidates.

How will office block ballots change the system?

Office block ballots organize candidates by the office they seek rather than by party endorsement. This format treats all candidates more equally and prevents party machines from using ballot placement and formatting to favor certain candidates, promoting fairer competition in primary elections.

Why did it take so long to settle this issue?

All 19 county clerks initially defended the county line ballot system in court. The legal challenges took years, with Bergen County being the final clerk to agree to a settlement, making this the definitive end to litigation over the ballot format.