Progressive Democrat urges her 2010 primary rival to turn a new page for democracy

Progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick has directly challenged her 2010 primary rival, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, to join nearly every other county clerk in the state by settling a landmark lawsuit aimed at preventing the rigging of nominating ballots in the future.

This appeal marks a new chapter in McCormick’s long-standing crusade against a system she argues is fundamentally undemocratic.

McCormick’s political journey, which includes a formidable 2010 primary challenge where her slate of candidates earned a remarkable 47% of the vote against the county organization, has been punctuated by legal battles against election laws she views as tools of the establishment.

McCormick pursued a notable legal fight, alongside Rutgers law professor Eugene Mazo, challenging a state statute requiring candidates to shoulder unconstitutional burdens concerning ballot slogans.

Their lawsuit argued that the requirements violated First Amendment rights, a case that ultimately made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear their challenge, letting the lower court’s ruling stand.

The legal foundation for dismantling the old system was concurrently laid in a separate lawsuit led by attorneys who convinced a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction against the so-called “county line” ballot design for the 2024 Democratic primary.

In response to this unique New Jersey practice had for decades grouped party-endorsed candidates together in a single column or row, often relegating challengers to what was known as “ballot Siberia,” a placement that could virtually determine election outcomes and gave party leaders enormous sway.

Following the injunction, nearly every county clerk in the state entered into settlement agreements, limiting their ability to use such designs going forward.

Yet, two clerks remain holdouts: Bergen County Clerk John Hogan and McCormick’s former opponent, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi.

Court records suggest their resistance may be linked to an aversion to paying the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees, a point noted by the presiding judge.

This refusal persists despite the state legislature passing and Governor Phil Murphy signing a new law in March 2025 that officially mandates a more neutral “office-block” ballot design for primary elections, grouping candidates by the office they are seeking.

Despite this legislative action, reformers like US Senator Andy Kim warn that the law may still have “unconstitutional features” and that, without a final court ruling, the risk remains that the legislature could backtrack in the future.

It is against this backdrop of unfinished legal business that McCormick made her public appeal to Rajoppi.

“This fight is not merely about past grievances but about securing a permanent injunction to protect the integrity of future elections,” said McCormick. “With the new ballot law in place but its long-term future uncertain, I am calling on Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi to do the right thing, which is to finally and fully sever the ties to a system that enabled a politics of exclusion and soft corruption.”

“There should be no reason to prevent the federal courts from turning a new page for democracy in New Jersey,” said McCormick.

Rajoppi has not responded to the request.