New Jersey

Appeals court promises quick ruling on appeal of order barring county-line ballots • New Jersey Monitor

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

Appeals court promises quick ruling on appeal of order barring county-line ballots • New Jersey Monitor

A federal appeals court will swiftly decide whether to allow the use of county-line ballots in June’s Democratic primary after hearing oral arguments Friday in Rep. Andy Kim’s case against the county line, one of the three judges on the panel said.

During the nearly two-hour hearing, an attorney for the Camden County Democratic Committee alleged the county line should be allowed to continue because it furthers the associational rights of political organizations. County-line ballots allow candidates backed by party organizations to be grouped or bracketed together on primary ballots.

“Political parties have the right, whatever the affiliation of the political party, whatever the faction of the political party, have the right to associate with and not associate with endorsed and not-endorsed candidates,” Bill Tambussi, the attorney, told the court.

Tambussi argued that existing state case law had confirmed the line’s legality and said that barring candidates from bracketing is an unconstitutional infringement of counties’ associational rights.

Kim (D-03) and his co-plaintiffs, congressional candidates Sara Schoengood and Carolyn Rush, have argued New Jersey’s county-line ballot design violates constitutional protections on free association and the U.S. Constitution’s elections clause. They argue the county line requires candidates to associate with candidates they may not want to in order to avoid inferior ballot placement and improperly influences election outcomes by giving party-backed candidates better ballot placement.

A lower-court judge sided with Kim two weeks ago and ordered county clerks not to use county-line ballots in June’s Democratic primaries. The judge said clerks must use office-block ballots, which instead group candidates based on the office they’re seeking.

Most of the clerks initially appealed the order but have since dropped out of the appeal and are moving forward with printing office-block ballots for June. The Camden committee is the only organization still challenging the lower-court order.

Judges on Friday appeared skeptical of Camden Democrats’ associational arguments, noting 49 other states and two of New Jersey’s own counties use a ballot design that Tambussi claims is unconstitutional.

“If not having bracketing is unconstitutional, then 49 out of 50 states are doing something severely wrong,” said Judge Arianna Freeman.

Judges also questioned Tambussi’s arguments on associational rights, noting Kim’s suit does not seek to bar the use of slogans that could tie endorsed candidates to a party.

“They’re saying, sloganeer all you want,” said Judge Kent Jordan.

Jordan added that the question here is, “Are you constitutionally entitled to a ballot form that will, according to the facts found by the district court, clearly put a thumb on the scale.”

Sean Marotta, an attorney for the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, which joined the case as a friend of the court, argued that candidates like Rush and Schoengood who do not win the endorsement of local party leaders should be treated like independent candidates in general elections. He cited a state law that bars parties that did not earn 10% of the vote share in the most recent general election with Assembly seats on the ballot from winning top ballot spots (in New Jersey, only Republican and Democratic parties meet that bar).

“It’s random whether it’s Republicans or Democrats who get the first column,” Marotta said. “Then all of the independent petition candidates are put in the third column stacked on top of each other, and this court upheld that.”

Brett Pugach, an attorney for Kim and his co-plaintiffs, argued in response that for general elections, there could be a state interest in maintaining a two-party system. Such an interest does not exist in primaries, when only Republicans and Democrats are on the ballot, he said.

Camden Democrats have argued that the advantage granted by the county line — the lower court’s fact-finding placed it at roughly 11 points — is not a severe enough burden to trigger deep scrutiny of the state’s interest in party lines. Such a finding would trigger a less stringent standard of review.

Pugach argued the contrary, citing the lower court’s findings and adding that the harms posed by county-line ballots still outweigh the state’s interest in maintaining them. He noted that county clerks and Camden Democrats did not offer evidence demonstrating such a state interest.

“In other words, even if the court didn’t apply a severe burden, it’s still a sliding-scale analysis, and as I said before, there’s no evidence in the record as to the state interest,” Pugach said.

Both sides discussed a letter Attorney General Matt Platkin sent the lower-court judge that calls the county-line ballot design unconstitutional and says Platkin would not defend it in court.

Judges asked attorneys Friday whether they should consider the letter. Kim’s lawyers argued in favor, saying the letter is part of the record and Platkin’s refusal to defend the statute is itself notable to the court. Tambussi argued it should be discounted because Platkin did not move to join the case.

“He had the opportunity to step into the case because the secretary of state was a party to the case. He had the opportunity to do that, and he did not,” Tambussi said.

It’s not clear when the appeals panel will issue its ruling, though the promise of promptness and looming election deadlines should ensure a quick resolution.

“Today, we reaffirmed that the evidence presented in this case establishes an unfair burden on voters and candidates that hinders the democratic process. The Court promised a prompt decision, which we look forward to reading,” Pugach said in a statement.

Clerks are due to begin sending out mail-in ballots by April 20, though courts can and have delayed such deadlines in the past. Earlier election deadlines on ballot printing are paused in some counties while state courts hear a separate ballot case over the Republican primary.

Because Kim’s lawsuit was launched only by Democratic candidates, the order barring county-line ballots in June applies only to that party’s primaries.

Republican candidates have sued in state court to force the use of office-block ballots in their primaries, and the Burlington County Republican Committee has sued the county’s clerk, alleging she violated state law when designing an office-block ballot for June GOP races.

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New Jersey

New Jersey’s 34th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration in Asbury Park

Published

6 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Press Room

New Jersey’s 34th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration in Asbury Park

The nonprofit Jersey Pride has produced New Jersey’s annual LGBTQ Pride event in Asbury Park on the first Sunday in June since 1992. Attendance usually surpasses 20,000 over the weekend.

ASBURY PARK- The 34th Annual Statewide LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration in Asbury Park will take place from Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7, and the main festivities will culminate on Sunday with the grand parade and the outdoor beachside festival.

Jersey Pride Inc., the nonprofit organization that produces the Garden State’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Celebration in Asbury Park the first Sunday in each June, launched its annual parade and festival in 1992, and has remained a constant for New Jersey’s LGBTQ+ residents and their allies.

It is the largest, and oldest, LGBTQ Pride Celebration in the garden state, with attendance under normal circumstances surpassing 20,000 over the weekend.

Tickets to the family (and pet) friendly event cost $10 and will feature New Jersey’s largest outdoor display of the Names Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt, rides in our Family Zone, and an array of eating options at the food court.

The Festival

The Pride Festival will see community groups and businesses distribute a wide variety of information, including job opportunities, housing options, family issues, disease prevention and screening, sources of support for victims of violence and abuse, legal rights and services, and the availability of support for issues that the queer community faces, according to Jersey Pride.

The Rally

Local artists will share the rally stage for a six hour outdoor concert against a backdrop of the Asbury Park Boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean. Adore Delano, Bryan Ruby, Dayo Dane, Danny Blu, Jasper, How I Became Invisible and Sister Funk are some of the artists headlining the rally.

The Parade

The parade will start at noon on June 7 at Asbury Park City Hall and head south on Main Street, then left on Cookman Ave toward the ocean, then left on Grand Ave. The parade will continue north on Grand to Sunset Ave, where it turns right and ends at the Rally / Festival Grounds.

Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. @CharlesDayeAPP Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com

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New Jersey

7 Of The Most Welcoming Towns In New Jersey

Published

16 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Press Room

7 Of The Most Welcoming Towns In New Jersey

New Jersey’s most welcoming towns pair walkable main streets with year-round arts calendars and centuries of preserved history. Some carry deep Revolutionary War legacies. Others grew up around an art museum or a resident orchestra. Free jazz fills Nishuane Park. The Mayo Performing Arts Center hosts touring Broadway shows. Expect Victorian beach streets, summer Shakespeare, and old battlefields. All places where strangers get treated like neighbors.

Cape May

Washington Street Mall at Cape May, New Jersey. Image credit: Jonathan W. Cohen / iStock.com

Cape May built its hospitality on its bed-and-breakfast district. Longtime innkeepers remember returning guests by name. The city holds one of the largest collections of 19th-century frame buildings in the country. That Victorian architecture earned it National Historic Landmark status in 1976. Cape May stands at the southern tip of the state’s coast, where Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Beach access stretches past Cove Beach and Poverty Beach to the central stretch near Beach Avenue. The Washington Street Mall handles shopping and dining inland. The 1859 Cape May Lighthouse still operates at the southern point. Visitors can climb its 199 steps for a view of the bay and ocean below.

Princeton

Princeton turned its university art museum into a public town square. The free museum opened a new building in October 2025 and holds more than 117,000 works. Princeton University began as the College of New Jersey in 1746, among the oldest in the country. Its collegiate Gothic campus stays open for self-guided architectural tours.

Bookstores and cafés line Nassau Street and Witherspoon Street downtown. Princeton Battlefield State Park preserves the ground where George Washington beat British troops in January 1777. The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park follows the old canal corridor nearby. Level paths there suit walking and biking.

Morristown

Morristown holds the country’s first national historical park. Established in 1933, it preserves the site where the Continental Army camped through the brutal winter of 1779-1780. The town carries one of the deepest Revolutionary War legacies anywhere. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named it a Dozen Distinctive Destination. The Ford Mansion served as George Washington’s headquarters and stays open for tours. Acorn Hall, Historic Speedwell, and the MacCulloch Hall Historical Museum round out the historic-house circuit.

The Mayo Performing Arts Center on South Street books classical music, touring concerts, and Broadway shows year-round. The Morristown Green gathers the downtown restaurant and shopping scene around one public square.

Madison

Madison hosts the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at Drew University. It is the state’s only professional company devoted to Shakespeare and the classics. Performances fill the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre through a long summer season. The town stands about five miles east of Morristown.

Independent cafés, bakeries, and boutiques fill Main Street and Waverly Place. The Museum of Early Trades and Crafts occupies the 1900 James Library building. Its displays show the tools New Jersey artisans used in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Montclair

The free Montclair Jazz Festival fills Nishuane Park each year. Emerging and established players make it one of the larger jazz gatherings in the region. The town rests on the eastern slope of the Watchung Mountains. It keeps one of New Jersey’s busiest arts calendars. The Montclair Art Museum on South Mountain Avenue centers its collection on American and Native American art.

The Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University books dance, music, and theater all year. Restaurants and shops line Bloomfield Avenue in the Montclair Center district. The restored 1922 Wellmont Theater hosts touring concerts and comedy.

Westfield

The New Jersey Festival Orchestra calls Westfield home and plays venues around town all year. Shops, boutiques, and restaurants fill the Union County downtown along East Broad Street and Elm Street. The 1922 Rialto on East Broad Street was long the town’s movie house. It is being reborn as the Center for Creativity, a community arts venue for film, performance, and exhibitions.

Mindowaskin Park holds a pond, walking paths, and picnic spaces near downtown. The Spring Fling and FestiFall events bring music, food, and family activities to the blocks each year.

East Brunswick

Giamarese Farm and Orchards keeps a pick-your-own operation in East Brunswick. It offers seasonal fruit and vegetable picking, a corn maze, and autumn hayrides. The Middlesex County town leans toward families. Butterfly Park sets aside green space for butterfly conservation. Crystal Springs Family Waterpark gives a summer cooling-off spot.

Playhouse 22 stages community theater, plays, and concerts year-round. The East Brunswick Public Library hosts programs and exhibits as a cultural hub. Bicentennial Park and the Tamarack Golf Course cover the sports side. Route 18 puts New Brunswick and the central Jersey corridor within easy reach.

Hospitality You Can Walk To

Hospitality here shows up in small, repeatable ways. The Morristown Green fills with the same faces every weekend. Princeton opens its new art museum to everyone for free. The New Jersey Festival Orchestra tunes up in Westfield. Giamarese Farm hands East Brunswick families a basket every fall. None of it is staged for outsiders. These towns built their welcome for the people who live there. The rest of New Jersey keeps showing up anyway.

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New Jersey

Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for June 6, 2026

Published

1 day ago

June 6, 2026

Press Room

APP.com Digital Desk
| Asbury Park Press

Powerball winning numbers are in for the Saturday, June 6 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $212 million ($94.5 million cash option).

The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing are 16, 32, 55, 59, and 64, with Powerball number 3. The Power Play number is 3.

Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot?

No one won the Powerball jackpot.

When is the next drawing of the Powerball?

The next Powerball drawing is Monday. Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

How late can you buy a Powerball ticket?

In New Jersey, in-store and online ticket sales are available until 9:59 p.m. on the night of the draw.

What does it cost to play Powerball?

Powerball costs $2 to play. For an additional $1 per play, the Power Play feature can multiply nonjackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or 10 times.

Are you a Powerball winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All New Jersey Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.99. For prizes over $599.99, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at New Jersey Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to New Jersey Lottery, Attn: Validations, PO Box 041, Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.

Winners can drop off their claim form and winning ticket in person at the New Jersey Lottery office where a secure drop box is available. Claim forms are also available at the office. Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lawrence Park Complex, 1333 Brunswick Avenue Circle, Trenton, NJ 08648.

To find a lottery retalier, you can search the NJ lotto website.

What is the Powerball payout?

The complete guide to winnings is:

Match 5 White Balls + Powerball: Jackpot
Match 5 White Balls: $1 million
Match 4 White Balls + Powerball: $50,000
Match 4 White Balls: $100
Match 3 White Balls + Powerball: $100
Match 3 White Balls: $7
Match 2 White Balls + Powerball: $7
Match 1 White Ball + Powerball: $4
Match Powerball: $4
Match 5 White Balls with Power Play: $2 million
Match 4 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $200,000
Match 4 White Balls with Power Play: $400
Match 3 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $400
Match 3 White Balls with Power Play: $28
Match 2 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $28
Match 1 White Ball + Powerball with Power Play: $16
Match Powerball with Power Play: $16

What are the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot?

The overall odds of winning the Powerball are 1 in 292.2 million.

How do I find the Powerball winning numbers?

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Drawings are also lived streamed on Powerball.com. The winning numbers are posted to the Powerball and New Jersey Lottery websites.

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