Gamble, Mundell Duke It Out Over ‘The Party Line’: Bloomfield Election

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The statewide political battle over “the party line” has officially spread to Bloomfield.

Two candidates for Bloomfield’s open mayor seat – interim mayor Ted Gamble and councilwoman Jenny Mundell – have each issued statements about New Jersey’s controversial primary election oddity, which faces a federal lawsuit that could mean a big change for ballots this year. See Related: NJ's Primary Ballots Are Unconstitutional, AG Says (Election 2024)

What is the “party line,” and why do advocates say it’s unfair? Here’s how it works, a Rutgers University professor recently explained:

“Primary ballots used by the majority of New Jersey voters are organized around a slate of candidates endorsed by either the Democratic or the Republican Party. These slates of candidates are known as the ‘county line’ or the ‘party line.’ Instead of organizing primary ballots around the office being sought and clearly indicating which candidates are running for each position, most counties in New Jersey organize the primary ballots around a slate of party-endorsed candidates. As a result, voters often have a hard time determining which candidates are running for each office, giving a huge advantage to those who land on the county line.”

Bloomfield has seen its own controversy over the process of deciding candidates this year.

Mundell and Gamble are each running for the Democratic Party nomination in Bloomfield’s upcoming primary election on June 4 – with the winner gaining a massive advantage heading into the general election. See local election information here.

When former mayor Michael Venezia, a Democrat, captured a seat in the New Jersey Assembly last year, it started a chain reaction in the town’s government.

The Bloomfield Democratic Committee held a meeting to nominate three candidates to replace Venezia, ultimately naming Gamble, Mundell and Nicole Williams, a member of the local parking authority. The committee also took a controversial, non-binding “straw poll” to determine the frontrunner: Mundell.

Venezia, the committee’s chair, issued a statement in support of Mundell after the straw poll was taken.

“I urge the members of the township council to respect the clear majority opinion of the Bloomfield Democratic Committee and vote to appoint councilwoman Jenny Mundell as our next mayor,” the assemblyman said.

Gamble has since raised questions about the selection process, alleging that the committee meeting was marked with “unnecessary and unprecedented” motions – which haven’t been done in other recent local elections.

“I find the attempt to distort the process upsetting and the narrative put forward by my colleagues deceptive,” Gamble previously told Patch.

• See Related: Bloomfield Councilman Criticizes 'Deceptive' Mayoral Straw Poll

The committee’s recommendations were passed to the township council, which ultimately went against their choice and selected Gamble as interim mayor.

• Read More: Gamble Appointed Bloomfield Mayor Over Mundell; Future Showdown Looms
• Read More: Bloomfield Town Council Chooses Tabares To Replace Gamble

WALKING THE LINE IN BLOOMFIELD

On Sunday, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General issued a legal filing about U.S. Rep. Andy Kim’s federal lawsuit to prohibit the use of county-line ballots statewide, beginning with the 2024 primary election.

According to the attorney general’s office – which is headed by Montclair resident Matthew Platkin – nobody else in the nation is using New Jersey’s unusual primary election ballot layout.

“In light of the evidentiary record, the attorney general has concluded that the challenged statutes are unconstitutional and therefore will not be defending them,” the legal filing states, adding that the move is an “exceptionally rare decision.”

The news got a thumbs-up from Gamble in Bloomfield, who says he supports the “office block” ballot design, which is being pitched as a replacement for the party line. It’s a stance that other elected officials in North Jersey have taken up, he added, including Sen. Britnee Timberlake (NJ-34), who represents towns including Bloomfield.

Other nearby politicians who have criticized the party line ballot layout have included Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.

• See Related: NJ Mayor Withdraws Endorsement Of Tammy Murphy

“Elections should be decided by voters in free and fair elections,” Gamble said. “Unfortunately, this basic tenet of democracy has not been the practice in New Jersey, where party bosses give their favored candidates the most prominent positions in the bracketing system known as the county line.”

“Senator Timberlake, Mayors Baraka and Fulop, and now Attorney General Platkin all acknowledge what everyone – including the party bosses – know: the county line ballot design is fundamentally undemocratic, and therefore indefensible,” Gamble continued.

“I invite Bloomfield’s other legislative representatives, Assemblywoman Carmen Morales and Assemblyman (and Bloomfield Democratic Committee Chairman) Michael Venezia, as well as my primary opponent, Councilwoman Jenny Mundell, to join the growing chorus of voices calling for the immediate adoption of the office block ballot design so that we may have free and fair elections in this June’s primary election,” Gamble said.

“It’s time to abolish the county line,” he concluded.

Reached for comment about Gamble’s stance on the party line, Mundell said that her campaign is focused on “keeping our community on the right track,” and “we're not going to be distracted from that goal.”

“I'm absolutely confident that the Democratic voters of Bloomfield will recognize the work I've done to move our community forward and choose me to be their next mayor, regardless of what the court decides in relation to the ballot line,” Mundell said. “No one should underestimate Bloomfield voters or their ability to make an informed decision.”

But the councilwoman also gave a quick jab at Gamble’s choice to pick up the call against the party line with this particular election cycle.

“It's telling that Ted Gamble ran on the Essex Democratic line in each of his previous elections and never raised any issue with the system, until now when he has lost the support of the elected members of the Bloomfield Democratic Committee,” Mundell said.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page.