MANVILLE: School vote moved to November ballot

   The Manville Board of Education decided Tuesday night to move the school elections 110from April to the general election in November.
   On Jan. 17, Gov. Chris Christie signed into law Senate Bill 3148, which gives communities the option of moving school elections from their current date on the third Tuesday in April to the November general election.
   The move places school board candidates on the November ballot, but it eliminates the annual vote on proposed school budgets that are at or below the state’s 2-percent tax levy cap.
   The change to November school elections may be made by the board of education, the municipal governing body or through voter referendum.
   ”The Manville Board of Education believes that more citizens will participate in the selection of its members at the general election than on the third Tuesday in April and that the higher level of participation will foster positive interest in our public schools,” said the resolution approved by the board.
   Three members of the school board whose terms would have expired after the April election will continue to serve until the board’s organization meeting, which will be held the first week in January 2013. Those members are Cathy Wiedwald, Ned Panfile and Andrew Zangara.
   School board races will remain nonpartisan, and candidates’ names will appear on a separate section of the November ballot. The change in the school election date will remain in effect at least through November 2015 after which the community has the option of changing it back to April.
   With November school board member elections, candidates will be required to submit a nominating petition (the document that places their name on the ballot) to the county clerk, not the local school board office. The deadline to submit nominating petitions will be June 5.