NJ: As Primary Day nears, vast majority of legislative candidates are running unopposed

[RandySF]

New Jersey’s 120 legislative seats are on the ballot this year, with elections coming after a round of redistricting and a string of retirements that left 20 races without an incumbent.

Yet, the number of contested races in next week’s primary elections remains stubbornly low: Just eight Senate and 10 Assembly primaries are contested. The overwhelming majority of candidates on the ballot have no opponents, while a handful of primaries have zero candidates.

This is common in New Jersey and elsewhere. In 2021, the last year our Legislature was on the ballot, there were only 19 contested races. Nationwide, most state legislative primaries were uncontested in 2022.

Why do so few state lawmakers have to worry about intraparty challenges? Depends on who you ask.

Progressive activists blame ballot design, which they say makes party-backed candidates so powerful that insurgent candidates rarely take a shot at challenging them. Party officials say in low-turnout years — this year is expected to be one — it’s hard to motivate people to vote, let alone run for office. Candidates themselves say that when constituents are happy with the services they receive, would-be challengers have no incentive to run.

Sen. Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen) is one of the many state senators running unopposed in this year’s primary.




https://newjerseymonitor.com/2023/06/02/as-primary-day-nears-vast-majority-of-legislative-candidates-are-running-unopposed/

[RKP5637]

1. K&R! n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

2. It's more.

The parties essentially are run like a machine. The “chair” decides who can run. Any disobedient candidate will lose any hope in the future.