Princeton Schools Referendum: Polling Location Details For Jan. 28

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton residents will head to the polls Tuesday, Jan. 28 to vote on the school referendum.

This time, the polling locations may differ from where residents typically vote during the general and primary elections.

The Mercer County Board of Elections consolidated the polling locations for this special election in which the Princeton Public Schools’ facilities bond referendum is on the ballot.

Voters will be able to cast their ballots from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Jan. 28 at one of four locations.

Here are the details:

• Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive: Districts 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 20

• Hook & Ladder Fire House, 27 North Harrison St.: Districts 8, 13, 18

• Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place: Districts 3, 4

• Princeton Public Schools Administration Building, 25 Valley Road: Districts 5, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 19

Voters who are unsure where they are assigned can enter their address into New Jersey’s Polling Place Search Tool.

Anyone whose eligibility cannot be confirmed at the polls because they already received a mail-in ballot, or for any other reason, can fill out a provisional ballot.

Provisional ballots are reviewed after the election, and valid votes will be counted if they are not duplicates.

“We appreciate that community members have taken the time to learn about the plans to add classrooms and expand our school buildings and to replace and rehabilitate end-of-life HVAC systems at the high school, which required emergency service this week,” Board of Education President Dafna Kendal said in a statement.

“We just want to remind voters where to cast their ballots. We want all voters to have a chance to make their voices heard.”

Residents who vote by mail must submit their ballots to be postmarked by Jan. 28 or by 8 p.m. that day in one of these designated drop boxes:

• Princeton Municipal Building, 400 Witherspoon St. (in front of the Municipal Building facing Witherspoon Street)

• Princeton University Dinky Station/Wawa, 152 Alexander St. (around the circular drop-off area in front of Wawa).

• Board of Elections, 930 Spruce St., Lawrence

• County Clerk’s Office - Courthouse Annex, 209 S. Broad St., Trenton (in front of the building)

Mail-in ballots will not be accepted at the polls. Princeton residents who still want to vote by mail can submit applications in person.

The Mercer County Clerk’s Office, 209 S. Broad St. in Trenton, will accept walk-in applications until 3 p.m. on Jan. 27 – the day before the election.

Voters will be asked to decide on three ballot questions, each addressing different needs. Question 1 must pass for Question 2 to go into effect, and Questions 1 and 2 must pass for Question 3 to go into effect.

The state debt service aid attached to the projects is only available with voter approval.

• Question 1 would expand and renovate Community Park Elementary School, and improve and replace end-of-life HVAC systems at Princeton High School. The estimated project costs are $37.9 million. After an estimated $11.4 million in debt service aid is applied toward the costs, the average annual tax impact is around $222.

• Question 2 would expand and renovate Princeton Middle School and renovate the high school to create more instructional space. The estimated project costs are $38.3 million. After an estimated $18.5 million in debt service aid is applied toward the costs for both Questions 1 and 2, the average annual tax impact for projects in both questions is around $447.

• Question 3 would expand and renovate Littlebrook Elementary School. The estimated project costs are $12.9 million. After an estimated $19.9 million in debt service aid is applied toward the costs for all three questions, the average annual tax impact for projects in all questions is around $532.

• All estimated tax impact figures are based on a home assessed at Princeton’s average of $853,136.

“These projects are needed to improve infrastructure and expand our schools as we prepare to welcome more students from new and existing housing,” Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster said.

“We appreciate our community’s consideration of these important and timely proposals.”

For more information, please see the district’s website, princetonk12.org/future, and the school district’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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