PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court has removed Carl Lewis from the ballot in a New Jersey state Senate race, finding he does not meet a four-year residency requirement.
The ruling comes nine days after the same three-judge panel ruled he was eligible to run.
New Jersey election officials and some Republicans say the Democrat does not meet the state’s four-year residency requirement for state senators.
But Lewis’ lawyers argue that he meets the requirement because he moved to the state in 2005. And if that doesn’t count, they say the residency rule is unconstitutional.
Lewis grew up in southern New Jersey and settled in California. He bought homes in New Jersey in 2005 and 2007 but voted in California as recently as two years ago.
