ORANGE, NJ — According to Orange city clerk Joyce Lanier, although the first attempt for a special election on Tuesday, March 14, was snowed out, 19 candidates are still vying for the two available seats on the Orange Board of Education. They will get their chance at the rescheduled special election on Tuesday, March 28, to increase the number of board members from seven required by the old Type 1 district to the nine needed to comply with the new Type 2 district. This change was instituted at the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, when Orange voters responding to Public Question No. 1 overwhelmingly agreed to change to an elected board format.
There are two terms available — one for the eight months, the other for one year and eight months.
The candidates for the shorter term are: Derrick Henry, Pat Arthur, John Lasell, Fred Vandermeer Jr., Mia Garrett, Francenria E. Moore, Courtney J. Thomas and Tisa Singleton.
The candidates for the longer term are: the Rev. Anthony P. Johnson, Thomas M. Wright, Tyrone Tarver, Celeste Newell, Hashim Garrett, Marie Y. Celestin, Terri A. Jackson, David Wright, Elroy A. Corbitt, Rachel G. Archelus and Melissa Kollar.
According to Frank Belluscio, the deputy executive director and director of Communications for the New Jersey School Boards Association, “The process of transitioning from a Type I appointed school board to a Type II elected school board, following voter approval of a referendum,” is a “process based on a New Jersey statute.”
“If the appointed board of education had less than nine members, the size of the board must be increased to nine members,” according to state statutes. “The selection of the additional members can take place at a special school election. Special school elections may take place on the fourth Tuesday in January; the second Tuesday in March; the last Tuesday in September, or the second Tuesday in December. Special school elections are called by the board of education. The county clerk or county board of elections is responsible for conducting the elections.”
However, according to state law, “By default, the district’s annual school election will take place in April — unless either the school board or the municipal governing body adopts a resolution, or the voters approve a referendum, to set the district’s annual school election in November.”
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