Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.
Balsam v Guadagno, 15-39, is a case challenging the constitutionality of New Jersey's closed primary system.
The U.S. District Court and the Third Circuit had both upheld the New Jersey system.
The Independent Voter Project (IVP) filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the Supreme Court of the United States in the case challenging the constitutionality of New Jersey’s closed primary system.
The coalition, which includes IndependentVoting.org and 7 individual plaintiffs, argues that the current election process in New Jersey gives political parties and their members a decided advantage in the election process at the expense of individual voters, including the 47 percent who choose not to affiliate with either major political party.
On July 21, the New Jersey Attorney General informed the U.S. Supreme Court that he doesn’t intend to file a response in Balsam v Guadagno, 15-39.
In New Jersey, an independent voter can vote in a partisan primary, but if he or she does so, a notation will be made that the voter is a member of the party whose primary ballot was chosen. The voter can immediately afterwards fill out a new voter registration form, regaining independent status.
If the U.S. Supreme Court is interested in hearing this case, it will notify the state that it wants a response from the state.
That would not occur until late September 2015, because the Court is now on summer break.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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