School Board Filing Today

School board candidates must file today (Monday, July 27) for three three-year seats.

It is the fourth year since the City Council moved the annual election from April to November. In the first year, the general election was marred by the effects of Hurricane Sandy and official results, normally announced on the Monday following the Tuesday election, were a couple of days late. They were also much higher than the numbers from voting machines on Election Night, reflecting special accommodations for people suffering disruption from the storm.

Next year, either the governing body or school board could act to move the election back to April, though it is unlikely. The school budget still passes in April for the following school year and taxpayers don't get to vote on it, as noted in this League of Municipalities letter to mayors on the change.The letter states filing takes place on the day of the June primary, but that proved to be problematic for county clerks and it was moved to the end of July.

School board candidates who win in the general election do not take office until Jan. 1 of the following year and their terms end on Dec. 31 after three years, meaning board members come and go in mid-school year. With April elections, members took office in Spring for the subsequent school year that runs from September to June.

While the school board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan, Plainfield voters may be offered slates backed by political factions. Assemblyman Jerry Green and political "kingmaker" John Campbell have backed opposing slates in recent years. Plaintalker has no intelligence on school board slates for the Nov. 3 election, but will report on any that emerge. Campbell himself is currently on the board as an appointee following the resignation of Mahogany Hall (formerly Hendricks). His wife, Wilma Campbell, is the school board president. He will have to run if he wants to have a full three-year term succeeding Hall.

The other two seats that are up are held by Keisha Edwards and Jackie Coley.

Interest in serving on the school board has varied. The board was appointed many years ago, and when it changed to an elected board, nearly a dozen candidates filed. Later a time came when fewer than three candidates filed, and the last seat had to be filled through appointment by a state DOE superintendent for Union County.

--Bernice