The New Jersey Board Elections Are Upon Us

“NJ Decides 2024”

The Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University and  NJ Spotlight News have partnered to offer journalists and the public a kit to stay informed about school board elections in any area of New Jersey. 

School board elections can impact the everyday lives of students, their families, and the education system at large—reinforcing the value of tools such as this one. 

 Governor Murphy is also pushing for the younger crowd to be involved in this year’s election. Newark has become the only city in New Jersey to allow adolescents of the age of 16 to vote for educational board members.

In contrast, outside of Newark, the minimum age continues to be 18. The city has focused on this new initiative, aiming to amplify students’ voices affected by these choices and bring positive change within the education system.  

The voter’s guide helps you and your child understand each candidate’s plans for the next school year. 

 The voter’s guide has a menu bar with different categories. If you’re interested in one county, you can click on option one, which says, “Find out who is running and locate their contact information.” Candidates are registered with the county clerk, making it easier to look for a specific candidate in your area. Another arrow details each school board candidate for each county. Quickly click on your county, and it will open a spreadsheet with the running candidates’ names, terms, and positions. 

 Voting for candidates who share your values or perspective makes a difference in the school system. The toolkit has many features; you can click on them to find information regarding specific topics that matter this election.

Voting for school elections can seem stressful at times, but with the correct information and the help of a voter’s guide, the process becomes quite simple.

After you gather all the information you need and decide on your candidates, you can follow up with your school district and see what day they are hosting their elections. Then, you can show up to the polls on Election Day,  show identification, and be directed to a booth where you can cast your ballot. 

This year is an election year, and it’s important to be engaged in the decisions being made both at the national and local levels. The choices made today will shape the future for you and your family.