Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reached a settlement today in two lawsuits regarding primary election ballot design. The cases, Kim v. Hanlon and Conforti v. Hanlon, challenged the use of the County Party line on primary ballots. Under the settlement, the clerk’s office will implement block balloting for future primary elections. The agreement requires Sollami Covello to conduct drawings for ballot positions and their order, unless new legislation prevents this practice. “It was clear from the Federal Court, Third Circuit, that it would rule to abolish the party line. This settlement precludes future litigation and costs incurred by Mercer County and ultimately, the taxpayers,” Sollami Covello said. “County Clerks, as election officials, must be umpires and not players, and that this matter now rightly can be resolved by the political parties, lawmakers, and those seeking reform. It should never have been something that County Clerks were expected to spend taxpayer monies defending.” Andy Kim and Christine Conforti filed the suits against the clerk’s office.