For residents of Burlington County who might have recently given thought to running for a seat on their local board of education, the filing deadline for the 2019 election is fast approaching.
Monday, July 29 marks this year’s deadline for Burlington County residents to file their official nomination petitions with the Burlington County Clerk’s Office so residents can run in their local school board elections this November.
Candidates have until 4 p.m. that day to file their completed nominated petitions with Burlington County Clerk JoAnne Swartz at her office, located on the third floor of 50 Rancocas Road in Mt. Holly.
Petitions can be downloaded on the county’s website at www.co.burlington.nj.us or picked up at the clerk’s office in person.
Completed can petitions can then dropped off in person at the clerk’s office Monday through Friday, with business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To run for board of education, candidates must meet the following qualifications as outlined by the state:
- Candidates must be a United States citizen
- Candidates must be at least 18 years old
- Candidates must be able to read and write
- Candidates must be a resident of the municipality they’re running in for at least one year prior to the date of the election
- Candidates must be a registered voter in their municipality
- Candidates must have no claim, interest in or contract with their local board of education
- Candidates must not be disqualified as a voter
- Candidates must not be disqualified from membership for the conviction of crime pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-1
In addition to meeting the preceding qualifications, candidates must obtain the signatures of at least 10 registered voters living in their municipality to successfully file their nomination petition.
Also, candidates must adhere to all state requirements to file campaign-expense reports with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
More information regarding these requirements and reports is available on the commission’s website at www.elec.state.nj.us.
Once again this year, candidates may also choose to run as an individual or candidates may choose to run as part of a group, of which members of the group will be bracketed together on the ballot with the same chosen designation/slogan.
According to the clerk’s office, the designation/slogan can include “no more than three words that convey the principles which the candidates represent.”
However, these designations/slogans may not “contain the name, or a derivative or any part thereof, used as a noun or an adjective, of any political party that is entitled to participate in a primary election.”
Use of these designations/slogans is optional.
Such candidates who choose to run under the same designation/slogan must determine among themselves the order in which their names are to appear within the bracket.
Should a candidate/s successfully make the ballot, this year’s election is Nov. 5.
If elected, board members must undergo criminal history record checks through the state Department of Education within 30 days of their election.
For more information on running for school board, visit the New Jersey School Boards Association’s website at www.njsba.org/about/candidacy.
