New Jersey
In New Jersey, it’s the end of the line for old school ballot system
New Jersey’s county line — a ballot system that gives party-backed candidates a leg up in primaries — is headed for the trash bin of history following a partial settlement in the legal challenge to the system.
“We think and we hope that the line is dead – that there won’t be any more monkeying around with ballots by anyone in the state,” said Yael Bromberg, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
U.S. District Court Judge Zayid Quraishi accepted the terms of a settlement between the clerks of Burlington and Middlesex counties, as well as the Middlesex County Democratic Organization. The two counties have agreed to design primary ballots by grouping all candidates for one office together.
Until this year, 17 counties in New Jersey placed primary candidates that were endorsed by their county party organization in one line, which research shows gives an advantage to those candidates by signaling to voters that they are the legitimate party candidates. Several candidates filed a lawsuit to challenge the county line, and in March, Rep. Andy Kim successfully obtained a temporary injunction to stop the use of the line in his Senate race against first lady Tammy Murphy.
Now, even if the remaining 15 counties do not quickly settle, any candidate who wants to stop the use of the line could return to court and likely receive another temporary injunction.
“I don’t think the public will have it anymore and I don’t think the courts will have it either,” Bromberg said.
Gov. Phil Murphy said on WNYC’s “Ask Governor Murphy” on Thursday that he still supports the system, but suggested the effect on candidates would not be dramatic.
“I continue to think that party organizations – the ones that are well run, and we have a lot of them in counties in this state – have a lot more going for them in terms of their assets, if you will, than ballot construction,” Murphy said. “It likely will have an impact, but there are a whole lot of other elements at play.”
County party organizations not only endorse candidates, but they raise money, put out lawn signs and run get-out-the-vote operations. In many counties, that support is determined by party bosses, not by a vote of party delegates.
The boss-based system hearkens back to the days of Frank Hague, the infamous Jersey City mayor who was able to control virtually all of state government through his Hudson County machine.
New Jersey Working Families Alliance was also party to the lawsuit and its director, Antoinette Miles, hailed the settlements as the beginning of the end of a “corrupt county line system.”
”They’re an important step in the fight to end New Jersey’s unconstitutional primary ballot by putting voters in charge of who represents them and cementing long-term reforms to our electoral process,” Miles said in a written statement.
A New Jersey high school teacher faces charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Jesse Heubel, 37, of Englishtown teaches at Freehold Township High School.
Monmouth County prosecutors say Heubel has been charged in multiple municipalities, including Freehold Township, Englishtown, Manalpan Township and Red Bank, because those are the locations where the alleged sexual acts took place.
Heubel has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree sexual assault in each of the four municipalities.
Authorities said the alleged criminal conduct began back in November of 2025, and the victim is under 18 years old.
Heubel turned himself in.
Authorities ask anyone who may have additional information about Heubel’s alleged activities to call police at (732) 431-7160 or (732) 462-7908.
CBS News New York has reached out to Heubel’s defense attorney for comment.
2-minute read
NJ fines Sen. Wimberly $24K after using donations on hotels, airfare
Wimberly has been fined about $24,000 by New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission, partly for spending campaign funds on his own personal use.
PATERSON — In a three-month span at the end of 2022, state Sen. Benjie Wimberly, then an assemblyman, spent more than $7,200 in political donations on hotel bills, airfare and other travel expenses.
Now, Wimberly has been fined about $24,000 by New Jersey’s Election Law Enforcement Commission, partly for spending campaign funds on his own personal use.
The ELEC complaint against Wimberly had been pending since December 2024, and a settlement between the state and the senator was reached at the end of May 2026. ELEC made details of the deal public on July 1.
“Senator Wimberly chose to settle the matter with ELEC because his priority is addressing the immediate and important needs of his district,” said his attorney, Angelo Genova, a prominent and well-connected lawyer in New Jersey political circles.
Story continues below photo gallery.
“As expressly stated in the Consent Order and Final Decision, Senator Wimberly and his treasurer neither admit nor deny the violations, and they maintain their good-faith belief that the disputed expenditures were permissible under the law,” Genova added.
Wimberly’s campaign treasurer, David Cozart, works as an assistant superintendent for Paterson Public Schools, with a $213,000 salary. Wimberly also works for the city school district as director of recreation, with a $194,000 salary.
The commission determined that 19 of Wimberly’s expenditures at the end of 2022, when he was still an Assembly member, were for impermissible uses. The order said $10,861 of the fine stemmed from Wimberly’s improper use of political funds. The rest of the penalty was for late filing of a finance report that covered October through December of 2022.
Among the expenditures highlighted by ELEC were:
- $645 to the Hilton Garden Inn Lodge Colonial on Oct. 11, 2022.
- $751 to the Embassy Suites Hampton on Oct. 25, 2022.
- $497 to the Landing at Hampton on Nov. 8, 2022.
- $322 to the Hilton Garden Inn on Dec. 6, 2022.
- $378 to the Omni Hotels on Dec. 14, 2022.
The ELEC complaint did not provide specific locations of those businesses.
Partial payment of $4,000 in April
The order said Wimberly and Cozart made a partial payment of $4,000 in April 2026. The election commission also reduced the penalty, lowering it to $15,335.
Going forward, Cozart and Wimberly would make four payments of $3,833.99 through April 2027, the order said.
Wimberly supporters noted that the original complaint filed against him came at the end of 2024, when he was still an Assembly member making a bid for the vacant New Jersey 35th District Senate seat left vacant when Nellie Pou went to Congress.
Wimberly sought the Senate seat even though several Passaic County Democratic party leaders were backing then-Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter for the Senate. After the initial tally ended in a tie, Wimberly won the internal party election by one vote over Sumter.
Governor Mikie Sherrill at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township after collapse
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill meets with first responders before a press conference at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ocean Township.
Last week wasn’t a great one when it comes to weather at the Jersey Shore.
This one will be much better, at least if you like heat.
A heat wave will hit New Jersey this week with hot weather moving into the area on Tuesday. The warm temperatures will stick around for most of the week before we get a little relief by the end of the weekend.
The National Weather Service forecasts the heat wave to start July 14 with a sunny day with highs around 92 degrees. Wednesday is even hotter with temperatures expected to flirt with 100 degrees. Thursday stays hot with a high of 92 degrees forecasted, with Friday and Saturday also expected to see highs in the low 80s.
According to the NOAA, Wednesday the Jersey Shore area will be under an extreme heat watch.
Tuesday through Friday are expected to be sunny, with some clouds. Saturday is when showers roll in.
Sunday the heatwave is expected to break. Showers are also expected to stick around with a high of 84 degrees expected.
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