New Jersey Working Families State Director Sue Altman has issued the following statement in response to U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi’s decision to permit a landmark lawsuit against the County Line and New Jersey’s ballot design process to continue:

We are pleased that Judge Quraishi denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss our lawsuit, which will bring fairness to New Jersey’s democracy. 

At a time when democracy is under attack in so many states across the country, it’s time to reform New Jersey’s unfair and unconstitutional primary ballot system, which only serves well-connected party insiders and corporate special interests. 

This decision represents a vital step toward fixing our broken electoral system. 

We look forward to beginning the discovery process, which will shine a spotlight on the practices of county elections officials, and we look forward to proving our case at trial. 

We are particularly pleased that Judge Quraishi recognized the important constitutional issues at stake in this case and will apply a “moderate to severe level of scrutiny” as the case proceeds. 

The outcome of this lawsuit will restore hope for accountability in our electoral process by leveling the playing field and preventing partisan elected officials and county party chairs from putting their thumbs on the scales to influence the outcome of elections.