Politics & Government
Don’t Walk ‘The Line’ In 2020 Election, NJ-10 Candidate Says
John Flora says an election tactic knows as "The Line" is giving an unfair advantage to big party machines in New Jersey.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — It’s known as “The Line.” And it’s an unfair election tactic that’s been giving a leg up to New Jersey’s biggest political parties for a long time, a Congressional candidate in the state’s 10th District claims.
On Tuesday, John Flora, a teacher who is running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, issued a call to “abolish the line,” a political tactic that many progressive voters and candidates have been maligning for years.
The term refers to aligning a column on a primary election ballot so that voters are more likely to choose a certain group of candidates, often those endorsed by the leaders of local county political parties.
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According to Flora, who’s running for the Democratic Party nomination in June’s primary election, it’s “an insidious form of voter suppression” because no other state allows their ballot to be manipulated in such a way.
In New Jersey, it’s almost impossible to win an election without being on the party “line,” Flora charged.
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“Big party machines that are supposed to represent party voters in the county use every trick to make sure they retain power,” Flora said. “That is dangerous for democracy and a Petrie dish which promotes corruption.”
It’s part of the reason why anti-establishment candidates like himself face an uphill battle, Flora said.
“There should be a limit on control somewhere,” Flora opined. “Voter turnout and apathy are high in New Jersey. One reason for this is that many voters know about these tactics and feel powerless so they don’t even bother voting.”
The 10th district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. It includes the following towns in Essex, Hudson and Union counties: Bloomfield (part), East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair (part), Newark (part), Orange, South Orange, West Orange (part), Bayonne (part), Jersey City (part), Hillside, Linden, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Union Township (part).
- See related article: Jersey City Teacher Running For NJ 10th District Seat
- See related article: Congress Candidate In D-10 Makes 'No Fossil Fuel Money' Pledge
Don't know what the Party Line is? Worried that the rallies against the line are "Party infighting," weaken the party, hurt the good people doing the work, etc? Here's why getting rid of the line will only strengthen NJ's democracy, and both parties. #TheLineDividesTheParty 1/
— GGCNJ (@ggcnj) March 1, 2020
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