"Legal Battle Erupts Over Ballot Design and Candidate Preference in NJ Senate Race"

Representative Andy Kim, a Democrat running for Senate in New Jersey, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to redesign the ballot before the state's contentious primary election, arguing that the current layout unfairly benefits candidates supported by party leaders. The lawsuit directly challenges the ballot-design process in New Jersey, which allows party leaders to place their preferred candidates in a prominent position on the ballot, giving them an advantage over unendorsed candidates. This legal maneuver is seen as a direct challenge to Tammy Murphy, Mr. Kim’s chief opponent in the Democratic primary, and is likely to intensify the debate over preferential ballot placement.