Despite a rapidly ticking election clock, an appellate court judge today denied an appeal of the Gloucester County illegal ballot design challenge because the trial court judge, Benjamin Telsey, had not yet issued an order, which he had decided early Friday afternoon.
Telsey decided on Friday that County Clerk James Hogan could continue to use general election office block ballots even though they violate state election law, because it would be too confusing to hold a legal election at this point.
Among the delays: Telsey allowed County Counsel Eric Campo to draft the final order. Campo didn’t submit it until 10:45 this morning, and then resubmitted an amended order at 4:23 PM. If Republicans win control of county government next month, Campo would be out of a job if his party loses the majority.
The delay leaves a narrowing runway for an appeal before it’s too late to hear the matter fairly.
“Applicants may resubmit their application once they receive the trial court order denying the requested relief,” wrote Greta Gooden Brown, the presiding judge of the appellate panel assigned to the Gloucester matter.
Telsey is a former counsel to the Salem County Democratic Organization.
