Listen to the end-of-campaign, get-out-the-vote motivational slogans and you’ll hear, “Democracy is on the ballot,” “Abortion is on the ballot,” “Crime is on the ballot,” “The economy is on the ballot,” etc., etc.
Woe to anyone who walks into a polling place next week thinking literally that they can to say “yes” to more jobs, or “no” to defunding the police. But, you know what won’t be “on the ballot” in New Jersey through at least November 2023?: Smoking. More specifically, smoking in Atlantic City casinos.
It’s not as if a state ballot question about this issue has been postponed until 2024, although it might be good to put the question directly to voters if the Legislature can’t get its act together for up to another two years.
