Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
New Jersey Ballot Goes to Court
Aired October 02, 2002 - 10:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're keeping a close eye, as we said before the break on the New Jersey Supreme Court this morning. Democrats are seeking permission before the court to put a new candidate on the November ballot in New Jersey in place of Senator Robert Torricelli, who, as you should know by now, withdrew from the Senate race on Monday.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick is following this court case for us. Let's check in with her and get the very latest -- good morning, Deb.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon. Well, oral arguments started about 20 minutes ago, the Democrats going first. They are really fighting. They say the law entitles them to put a candidate on the ballot. The Republicans are saying, No, they missed the deadline and putting any candidate on the ballot could now jeopardize some of the absentee and military votes that have already been sent out.
Now, as for what is going on now, you see one of the gentlemen, that's the lawyer for the Democrats, he is arguing a number of points, specifically the 51-day deadline by which time you are not supposed to be able to switch candidates.
He says that that has never been an immutable figure, that means that it basically is a guideline so that county clerks can begin getting the process started. The Republicans are saying, no, that is definitely a fixed number and that is exactly what the court has to abide by.
The judges are asking a number of questions to the lawyer. They include, how will the absentee ballots be affected, also polling. One judge said, what is to say that this is not going to begin happening a lot, where candidates are replaced just because polls show he's falling behind. That is the argument the Republicans are also making, saying you can't just change a candidate because he's losing, especially so close to the election. So right now, the Democrats are having their points, their chance to make their points and their arguments. Then the Republicans will go. We're also going to hear from members of the attorney general's office and the board of elections who oversee the election process in its entirety, plus other candidates as well, the green party candidate, and the Libertarian Party candidate as well. The Republicans are saying just because a Democrat may not be on that ballot doesn't mean voters don't have a choice. They certainly do have a choice, because there are these other parties on the ballot as well -- Leon.
HARRIS: Sorry, Deb, we have to cut away right now. We have some breaking news to get to immediately.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 2, 2002 - 10:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're keeping a close eye, as we said before the break on the New Jersey Supreme Court this morning. Democrats are seeking permission before the court to put a new candidate on the November ballot in New Jersey in place of Senator Robert Torricelli, who, as you should know by now, withdrew from the Senate race on Monday.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick is following this court case for us. Let's check in with her and get the very latest -- good morning, Deb.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon. Well, oral arguments started about 20 minutes ago, the Democrats going first. They are really fighting. They say the law entitles them to put a candidate on the ballot. The Republicans are saying, No, they missed the deadline and putting any candidate on the ballot could now jeopardize some of the absentee and military votes that have already been sent out.
Now, as for what is going on now, you see one of the gentlemen, that's the lawyer for the Democrats, he is arguing a number of points, specifically the 51-day deadline by which time you are not supposed to be able to switch candidates.
He says that that has never been an immutable figure, that means that it basically is a guideline so that county clerks can begin getting the process started. The Republicans are saying, no, that is definitely a fixed number and that is exactly what the court has to abide by.
The judges are asking a number of questions to the lawyer. They include, how will the absentee ballots be affected, also polling. One judge said, what is to say that this is not going to begin happening a lot, where candidates are replaced just because polls show he's falling behind. That is the argument the Republicans are also making, saying you can't just change a candidate because he's losing, especially so close to the election. So right now, the Democrats are having their points, their chance to make their points and their arguments. Then the Republicans will go. We're also going to hear from members of the attorney general's office and the board of elections who oversee the election process in its entirety, plus other candidates as well, the green party candidate, and the Libertarian Party candidate as well. The Republicans are saying just because a Democrat may not be on that ballot doesn't mean voters don't have a choice. They certainly do have a choice, because there are these other parties on the ballot as well -- Leon.
HARRIS: Sorry, Deb, we have to cut away right now. We have some breaking news to get to immediately.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
