Ridgewood BOE Considering November Elections

The sent out a notice to parents Friday morning stating the school board would be considering .

Governor Christie and numerous districts throughout the state have since have jumped from spring to fall, several touting greater voter turnout as a major factor.

Should the board vote in favor of moving elections the public would not be given the opportunity to vote on the budget, provided it does not exceed the 2 percent cap.

The discussion will take place at the regularly scheduled Ridgewood Board of Education meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be time for questions and public comment, officials said in the letter.

The board could legally take a vote on the matter after discussion; it passed a resolution on Dec. 20 opposing a move to November.

Contents from the letter sent to parents are as follows.

Mechanism to move Board Election: 

• The Board may move the election by resolution (majority vote). 
• Or the Village Council may move the election by resolution (majority vote).  
• Or the election may be moved by petition containing signatures of 15% of the local residents who voted in the last presidential election.

Provisions:

• If the election is moved to November, no budget vote is needed for budgets that are at or under cap (the cap is currently 2%).
• Tax levy above cap will still require a vote, and the amount by which the budget is above cap will be placed on the November ballot as a separate question.
• Moving the election from April to November is voluntary –each district/municipality can make its own decision.
• If the election is moved to November, it cannot be moved back to April for at least 4 years.
• Elections can be moved from April to November now or at any time in the future.

Arguments in Favor of Moving the Board Election to November:

• Increased voter participation.
• Saving the cost of the April election (N.B.: This is an $42,100 annual savings. Note there will be costs associated with the November election, but they are unknown at this time.)
• Municipal, county, state and federal budgets are not submitted to voters.  This law brings boards of education into line with other governing bodies. 
• Failed budgets put instructional programs and facilities maintenance in jeopardy.

Arguments Against Moving the Election to November

• In some districts/municipalities, moving the election to November may make board elections (which are non-partisan by law) more “political.” 
• Deprives voters of the opportunity to vote on budgets that are at or under cap
• Dilutes the attention paid to local school board/budget elections