Why Are You Going to Vote (Or Not) on Wednesday?

Voters don’t traditionally turn out in overwhelming numbers for Board of Education elections—at least not in Fort Lee.

On April 20, 2010, the last time Fort Lee voters elected members to the school board and voted on a school budget, just 2,168 votes were cast, according to borough records. In September, when Fort Lee voters turned down a $99 million referendum to upgrade and expand the borough’s school system by a very narrow margin, 3,248 votes were cast, and three months later, when the referendum was $89 million and more convincingly defeated, a whopping 3,391 people voted.

That’s in a town that boasts more than 17,000 registered voters.

On Wednesday, voters in Fort Lee’s 19 precincts (and some who will vote absentee and/or by mail) will be asked to choose among six candidates for three seats on the board and vote yes or no on a proposed $55.1 million school budget.

Now we want to know what you think. Why are you going to vote (or not vote) this week? Is there any reason to believe that voter turnout will be better than last year, or will the same 2,100 to 3,400 voters once again make the decision for the rest of the borough’s residents and taxpayers? Is this Board of Education election any more important than any other? How important do you think it is to get out and vote Wednesday?

Join in this important discussion. Let us know what you think. Tell us in the comments.