County Conventions Lose Appeal in NJ as Candidates Opt Out
The decline of the state’s distinctive “county line” system has weakened the tradition of party nominating contests leading up to elections.
TroibNews 
Last year, New Jersey's county conventions were as compelling as the early nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire during presidential elections.
At that time, then-Rep. Andy Kim was in a fierce competition against first lady Tammy Murphy for Bob Menendez’s Senate seat after his corruption indictment. This vigorous battle showcased a clash between New Jersey’s political establishment and grassroots Democrats, ultimately resulting in the dismantling of the state’s distinctive “county line” ballot design, which had favored party-endorsed candidates.
Now, many candidates in one of the nation’s premier gubernatorial races are bypassing conventions altogether, opting instead for direct outreach to primary voters and leaving party leaders on the sidelines.
This shift has not pleased some county leaders.
Skipping conventions is a “slap in the organization’s face,” commented Union County Republican Chair Carlos Santos, whose county’s convention is scheduled for next week. “I know what they're trying to do. They're trying to tear down the party and say, ‘The county party has been corrupt.’ And you know what, some of them have,” he remarked. “I'm going to run a clean, fair convention, and if you're so kind to come participate, it's open to everybody who submitted a letter of intent.”
In past election cycles, endorsements from county committees almost guaranteed victory for party-supported candidates, prompting hopefuls to invest significant resources in winning over party insiders. In contrast, many of this year’s gubernatorial contenders believe their time is better spent on the campaign trail in this new political landscape.
There are still clear advantages to securing backing from a county party, which can offer essential resources like grassroots organizing. A victory can also generate momentum for candidates, although with the primary elections months away, conventions may not be top-of-mind for voters.
Endorsements from county organizations also come with the party’s slogan on the ballot, signaling to voters who has the party’s backing. However, the impact of those endorsements remains uncertain, especially since the longstanding county line system has been replaced with a block ballot format similar to that used in many other states. Most counties have opted for this new design, and legislative measures are underway to formalize it.
“The fact that so many people are choosing not to go through the process really highlights just how powerful the county line itself is in determining who wins the primary, putting aside all that other stuff,” noted Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose research contributed to the line's repeal. “The candidates feel like they can afford to do this now. They don't have to drop out if they're not the favorite daughter or son, and they don't have to go through the process of getting endorsed.”
The county conventions this year have lacked major surprises: Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are leading their party’s processes with little competition—often none at all.
Certain candidates are choosing to forgo conventions entirely. Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Republicans Bill Spadea, former state Sen. Ed Durr, and state Sen. Jon Bramnick are among those opting out.
Others have expressed reluctance to participate in events they believe have predetermined results. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s campaign indicated he’s “not walking into any diners where I know I’m going to get whacked.” Meanwhile, former Republican Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac stated he “won't participate in any convention that doesn't use hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots” and called on his fellow candidates to join him in this stance.
Thus far, Sherrill has secured victories in three conventions: Hunterdon, Mercer, and Monmouth. The first convention in Hunterdon featured five contenders and ended with a close race between Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, requiring a runoff vote. Her subsequent victories, where only she, Baraka, and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller were in contention among six Democratic candidates, saw wider margins, especially in Monmouth where Baraka was the runner-up.
Baraka emphasized the importance of participating in conventions, stating that “talking to the voters is important, and you can't write the convention, the committee people, off.” He added, “I think they're community folks. They're voters. You know they’re going to vote in the primary, and you can pick some of them off.”
Spiller voiced his frustrations before the conventions, acknowledging the challenge of attending “open conventions” where “all of the leaders there have already told you who they're gonna vote for and support.” He expressed, “I'm sick and tired of it,” yet remained committed to engaging with voters.
Even Fulop, the first to announce he would not compete in these conventions, has made appearances to distribute letters explaining his reasons for not endorsing the format.
The upcoming conventions in Atlantic and Burlington will reveal whether Sherrill can maintain her winning streak, as those counties might support former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, who opted out of Mercer and Monmouth contests.
Ciattarelli’s convention season has been notably less competitive. He has been the sole significant GOP candidate committed to attending every convention, winning in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Passaic without opposition. His only defeat came in Ocean County to Spadea, which was not surprising given Spadea's backing from the GOP chair last year. Even in Ocean, Ciattarelli secured more than one-third of the vote.
Recently, a dozen Republican county chairs expressed “disappointment in certain gubernatorial candidates” for skipping conventions, stating that it suggests candidates do not take county committee members’ roles seriously. They argued that participating in conventions, even when anticipating a loss, demonstrates “leadership, respect, and coalition-building.”
“As Chairs, we will not stand by as candidates publicly dismiss those who embody volunteerism, party activism, and informed perspective as ‘political insiders’ that are part of an ‘inefficient and outdated process,’” said the GOP chairs from Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties.
Without the county line, success at conventions doesn't always predict performance in the primary. For instance, although Spiller has been finishing last at conventions, sparse polling indicates he is a runner-up, partially thanks to an aggressive advertising campaign from a supporting outside group that has improved his name recognition. Many voters remain undecided as the June primary approaches.
Michael Suleiman, Atlantic County Democratic Chair, who endorsed Sweeney in late 2023, remarked that it’s not surprising candidates are selective about where they compete this year, noting, “winning the slogan doesn't mean as much as winning the line.”
“We have the longest running convention in the state,” Suleiman noted ahead of the upcoming gathering. “We're proud of that tradition. But even I would concede that our convention doesn't mean as much without the party line.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
At that time, then-Rep. Andy Kim was in a fierce competition against first lady Tammy Murphy for Bob Menendez’s Senate seat after his corruption indictment. This vigorous battle showcased a clash between New Jersey’s political establishment and grassroots Democrats, ultimately resulting in the dismantling of the state’s distinctive “county line” ballot design, which had favored party-endorsed candidates.
Now, many candidates in one of the nation’s premier gubernatorial races are bypassing conventions altogether, opting instead for direct outreach to primary voters and leaving party leaders on the sidelines.
This shift has not pleased some county leaders.
Skipping conventions is a “slap in the organization’s face,” commented Union County Republican Chair Carlos Santos, whose county’s convention is scheduled for next week. “I know what they're trying to do. They're trying to tear down the party and say, ‘The county party has been corrupt.’ And you know what, some of them have,” he remarked. “I'm going to run a clean, fair convention, and if you're so kind to come participate, it's open to everybody who submitted a letter of intent.”
In past election cycles, endorsements from county committees almost guaranteed victory for party-supported candidates, prompting hopefuls to invest significant resources in winning over party insiders. In contrast, many of this year’s gubernatorial contenders believe their time is better spent on the campaign trail in this new political landscape.
There are still clear advantages to securing backing from a county party, which can offer essential resources like grassroots organizing. A victory can also generate momentum for candidates, although with the primary elections months away, conventions may not be top-of-mind for voters.
Endorsements from county organizations also come with the party’s slogan on the ballot, signaling to voters who has the party’s backing. However, the impact of those endorsements remains uncertain, especially since the longstanding county line system has been replaced with a block ballot format similar to that used in many other states. Most counties have opted for this new design, and legislative measures are underway to formalize it.
“The fact that so many people are choosing not to go through the process really highlights just how powerful the county line itself is in determining who wins the primary, putting aside all that other stuff,” noted Julia Sass Rubin, a Rutgers professor whose research contributed to the line's repeal. “The candidates feel like they can afford to do this now. They don't have to drop out if they're not the favorite daughter or son, and they don't have to go through the process of getting endorsed.”
The county conventions this year have lacked major surprises: Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are leading their party’s processes with little competition—often none at all.
Certain candidates are choosing to forgo conventions entirely. Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Republicans Bill Spadea, former state Sen. Ed Durr, and state Sen. Jon Bramnick are among those opting out.
Others have expressed reluctance to participate in events they believe have predetermined results. Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s campaign indicated he’s “not walking into any diners where I know I’m going to get whacked.” Meanwhile, former Republican Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac stated he “won't participate in any convention that doesn't use hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots” and called on his fellow candidates to join him in this stance.
Thus far, Sherrill has secured victories in three conventions: Hunterdon, Mercer, and Monmouth. The first convention in Hunterdon featured five contenders and ended with a close race between Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, requiring a runoff vote. Her subsequent victories, where only she, Baraka, and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller were in contention among six Democratic candidates, saw wider margins, especially in Monmouth where Baraka was the runner-up.
Baraka emphasized the importance of participating in conventions, stating that “talking to the voters is important, and you can't write the convention, the committee people, off.” He added, “I think they're community folks. They're voters. You know they’re going to vote in the primary, and you can pick some of them off.”
Spiller voiced his frustrations before the conventions, acknowledging the challenge of attending “open conventions” where “all of the leaders there have already told you who they're gonna vote for and support.” He expressed, “I'm sick and tired of it,” yet remained committed to engaging with voters.
Even Fulop, the first to announce he would not compete in these conventions, has made appearances to distribute letters explaining his reasons for not endorsing the format.
The upcoming conventions in Atlantic and Burlington will reveal whether Sherrill can maintain her winning streak, as those counties might support former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, who opted out of Mercer and Monmouth contests.
Ciattarelli’s convention season has been notably less competitive. He has been the sole significant GOP candidate committed to attending every convention, winning in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Passaic without opposition. His only defeat came in Ocean County to Spadea, which was not surprising given Spadea's backing from the GOP chair last year. Even in Ocean, Ciattarelli secured more than one-third of the vote.
Recently, a dozen Republican county chairs expressed “disappointment in certain gubernatorial candidates” for skipping conventions, stating that it suggests candidates do not take county committee members’ roles seriously. They argued that participating in conventions, even when anticipating a loss, demonstrates “leadership, respect, and coalition-building.”
“As Chairs, we will not stand by as candidates publicly dismiss those who embody volunteerism, party activism, and informed perspective as ‘political insiders’ that are part of an ‘inefficient and outdated process,’” said the GOP chairs from Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Union counties.
Without the county line, success at conventions doesn't always predict performance in the primary. For instance, although Spiller has been finishing last at conventions, sparse polling indicates he is a runner-up, partially thanks to an aggressive advertising campaign from a supporting outside group that has improved his name recognition. Many voters remain undecided as the June primary approaches.
Michael Suleiman, Atlantic County Democratic Chair, who endorsed Sweeney in late 2023, remarked that it’s not surprising candidates are selective about where they compete this year, noting, “winning the slogan doesn't mean as much as winning the line.”
“We have the longest running convention in the state,” Suleiman noted ahead of the upcoming gathering. “We're proud of that tradition. But even I would concede that our convention doesn't mean as much without the party line.”
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
