CHESTERFIELD: District switches school board election to November

By Amber Cox, Special Writer
   CHESTERFIELD — In anticipation of a Feb. 17 deadline to move school board elections from April to November, the Chesterfield Board of Education unanimously approved the switch on Feb. 15.
   As of Feb. 20, 413 of the state’s 538 school districts eligible to make the switch have done so.
   Under legislation signed by Gov. Chris Christie on Jan. 17, if the election is moved to the general election in November, voters no longer vote on the school budget as long as it is within the 2 percent cap. Voters will still vote on school board members.
   Superintendent Ellen McHenry recommended the move to the board and said there would be an advantage to a November election with a greater voter turnout.
   Last year’s budget was defeated and the school board already put aside $2,500 to conduct an April election and some of that will not be saved.
   All other schools in the Register-News coverage areas voted to make the switch.
   No school district will be able to switch back to an April election for four years once the move is made.