U.S. appeals court orders that Carl Lewis be placed on N.J. Senate primary ballot

TRENTON — A federal appeals court has ordered that Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis be included on the ballot for the June Democratic primary. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia remanded the case back to U.S. District Court in Camden, where a judge last week dismissed Lewis’s challenge to Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno’s decision...

TRENTON — A federal appeals court has ordered that Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis be included on the ballot for the June Democratic primary.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia remanded the case back to U.S. District Court in Camden, where a judge last week dismissed Lewis’s challenge to Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno’s decision to kick Lewis, a Democrat, off the ballot after ruling that he did not meet the state’s four-year residency requirement.

The remand is so the U.S. District Court can decide whether the state Constitution's four-year residency requirement violates Lewis's civil rights. Last week, Judge Noel Hillman ruled that the state Constitution does not violate the U.S. Constitution, but he did not rule on whether it was unconstitutional regarding the specifics of Lewis's case.

The state Supreme Court is also weighing whether to take up Lewis’s case, but Wednesday refused to stop county clerks from printing ballots without his name on it. Today’s order trumps Wednesday's.

Mark Sheridan, an attorney representing the two Burlington County Republican leaders who originally challenged Lewis’s candidacy, said the appeals court order was “simply delaying the inevitable.”

Lewis wants to run against state Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego (R-Burlington) in the Republican-leaning 8th Legislative District. But Guadagno, in her dual role as secretary of state, said he did not meet the state Constitution’s four-year residency requirement, in part because he voted in California as recently as 2009.

Previous coverage:

• Federal court to rule on Carl Lewis bid for Senate seat, request to delay printing of ballots

• Carl Lewis turns to federal appeals court in quest to run for N.J. state Senate

• N.J. appeals court agrees Olympic medalist Carl Lewis cannot run for Senate

• Lt. Gov. Guadagno rules Carl Lewis doesn't meet residency requirement to run for N.J. Senate

• Judge orders Lt. Gov. Guadagno to show why Carl Lewis should be excluded from mail-in ballots

• Lt. Gov. Guadagno rules Carl Lewis doesn't meet residency requirement to run for N.J. Senate

• Judge dismisses Republican attempt to block Senate ballot of Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis

• Carl Lewis testifies at NJ residency challenge

• Republicans challenge N.J. Senate candidacy of Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis

• Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis announces plans to run for N.J. Senate