5 Facts About the November School Elections

Now that the board of education has voted to move the school elections from April to November, there will be a few changes that residents need to understand moving forward. So today, we present five things you need to know about the election move.

• Terms Extended—All current board members will have their terms extended by seven months because they will be elected in November, with new terms beginning in January at the annual reorganization meeting.
• No Budget Votes—Residents will not have the opportunity to vote on the school budget each year so long as it stays within the 2 percent mandated tax levy cap.
• One Condition Brings Vote—If the budget exceeds the 2 percent mandated cap, residents will have the opportunity to vote on it. If it fails, the district will officially adopt a temporary budget that it is required to approve in April at the 2 percent cap.
• Elections Still Non-partisan—The names of those running for school board will be separate from the Republican and Democratic candidates on the ballot to maintain a non-partisan vote.
• Change for Four Years—According to the bill signed by Gov. Chris Christie, the change will last for four years before the district can opt to move its elections back to April or keep them in November.