The residents of Holmdel need to vote in the April 19 school elections. This election will decide the future of one of the most defining aspects of Holmdel’s identity — its educational system.
This springtime election not only gives voters the opportunity to choose one-third of the members of the school board but also decides the fate of the operating budget for the next year and future years due to new legislation.
Historically, voter turnout is poor in these off-cycle elections. This disinterest is baffling, as the township’s public educational system is one of the main reasons for justifying the higher home values here. Sadly, when residents are asked for their input on selecting members of the Board of Education, the elected officials who determine the course and future of the school district’s policies and fiscal matters, most voters opt out of participating. Only a small percentage of residents decide how the schools will function and the amount of property taxes all of us pay.
Our schools are the product of local guidance and standards. Our schools’ future should not be determined by a few but by the greatest number of voters possible. Parents especially should make the effort to come to the polls. It is one of the most basic ways to shape their children’s future.
This year, Holmdel’s polling hours have been expanded to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Absentee ballots are available on the state Web site www.state.nj.us/lps/elections/forms_doe.html. Make your voice heard in Holmdel and vote April 19.
Evelyn B. Puig
Holmdel