Voters in 25 school districts in
Sussex County and 23 in Warren County will head to the polls Tuesday
to elect school board candidates and to decide the fate of multimillion-dollar
school budgets and special spending questions.
In Sussex County, Hardyston has
some of the most ballot action, including a rare recall referendum.
Hardyston's ballot asks whether school board President Margaret
"Marbeth" Boffa should be recalled, as well as a companion question
to choose her successor if a recall is approved. The two replacement
candidates are Boffa and Anita Collins.
Fredon residents will vote on a
$5 million referendum on additions, renovations and alterations
of the elementary school. And one of the most contentious races
for school board is in Sparta, where eight candidates are vying
for three seats. A pair of Sparta incumbents are facing a stiff
challenge from the contenders.
In Warren County, there are half
a dozen contested races, including three in the northern Warren
communities of Blairstown, Frelinghuysen and Hardwick. The most
crowded ballot is in Lopatcong, where six candidates are vying
for three seats.
Voters in the Great Meadows Regional
district will decide by referendum whether to pay for a full-day
kindergarten program, while voters in North Warren will decide
whether to replace 38-year-old boilers.
For the first time this year, questions
on ballots must receive a 60 percent majority, due to state legislation
passed to curb school property tax increases.
"Requiring a super majority vote
of the public really undermines the concept of one person, one
vote," said Mike Yaple, a spokesman for the New Jersey School
Boards Association, which opposes the new law. "It gives more
weight to the people who vote no and less weight to the people
who vote yes."
Also a big influence on this year's
election across the state was the new state aid formula, which
helped school boards overall pass modest or no increases in school
taxes.
Across the state, residents in
more than 90 percent of the state's municipalities will vote for
school candidates or budgets. A total of 2,064 candidates are
vying for 1,594 local board of education positions, according
to the New Jersey School Board Association. And 549 proposed school
budgets, 33 second questions and 15 construction proposals are
seeking approval.
Last year, more than 78 percent
of school budgets were approved statewide, while slightly fewer
than 46 percent of second questions were approved, according to
the state School Board Association.
Polls in Sussex and Warren counties
will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. in all districts except Oxford,
which is open from 5 to 9 p.m.
Voters can find their polling place
by checking their sample ballot or by calling their municipal
clerk's office.
Voting problems or questions should
be directed to local poll workers. If the matter still cannot
be resolved, call the Sussex County Board of Elections at (973)
579-0950 or the Warren County Board of Elections at (908) 475-6313.
Find results by visiting nj.com/news
starting at 10 p.m.