The Socialist Party’s only candidate for the legislature in New Jersey this year has been removed from the November 2009 ballot, even though he submitted 150 signatures to meet a requirement of 100 signatures. Tino Rozzo had been running in Assembly District One, in the southern tip of New Jersey. Signatures are presumed to be valid unless a challenge is filed. Rozzo’s petition was challenged by a Democratic Party activist.

New Jersey elects its Assemblymembers every two years. In the last election in this district, in 2007, there had been no minor party or independent candidates. Each district elects two members. The 2007 vote had been: Democrats 27,420 and 23,978; Republicans 22,075 and 21,489.

Rozzo last ran for this seat in 2003, when he received 770 votes. Rozzo did not fight the recent challenge to his petition, and will instead be the Socialist Party’s candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Under a new procedure in New Jersey, each gubernatorial candidate during July must choose a Lieutenant Governor running mate. The gubernatorial candidates of the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian Parties, still have not chosen their Lieutenant Governor candidates.