Official Elected BOE Petition Launched!
Our official petition for a referendum on having Montclair join the 97% of other municipalities in New Jersey where local boards of education are elected by voters rather than appointed has launched.
Our Initiatives
Elected BOE
Montclair is one of the few remaining New Jersey municipalities where mayors choose BOE members. Changing that in 2021 is our top priority.
Municipal Election Reform
We’re working to move our Township’s next municipal elections from May to November, to raise voter turnout, which is a fraction of that in most American towns.
Voter Engagement
In addition to these and other special initiatives Vote Montclair will be working year-round to increase voter engagement and election integrity.
Recent News
- A response to Mayor Spiller’s statement on an elected Board of Education in MontclairEarlier today two important, and probably not unrelated, milestones occurred in the ongoing initiative to have Montclair join the 98% of other towns in New Jersey with local school boards elected by voters rather than selected by mayors. We receivedContinue reading “A response to Mayor Spiller’s statement on an elected Board of Education in Montclair”
- In Montclair, where teachers union is mighty, calls grow for elected school board (Northjersey.com)“Calls for the Montclair Board of Education to move from a mayor-appointed board to an elected body are growing louder. At Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, outgoing member Sergio Gonzalez asked residents to join him in signing a petition,Continue reading “In Montclair, where teachers union is mighty, calls grow for elected school board (Northjersey.com)”
- Statement by Board of Education Member Sergio Gonzalez[Following is a statement from Board of Education member Sergio Gonzalez presented during the BOE meeting of April 19th, 2021 on issues of governance in the district and in support of Vote Montclair’s campaign to convert Montclair’s school board fromContinue reading “Statement by Board of Education Member Sergio Gonzalez”
What Montclarions Are Saying
“As a long-term resident and a local public education advocate, I am very encouraged by these initiatives. It is time for Montclair and its residents to stop sitting on the laurels of the past, and be a progressive leader of the future. These initiatives can help us get there.” — Selma Avdicevic
“I’m a Montclair resident who previously lived in South Orange, where every year voters get their say on who sits on the BOE. Montclair may have a lot going for it, but on voter participation in education for now South Orange and Maplewood clearly have the edge.” — Richard Eigen
Interested in adding your voice to the debate?
Vote Montclair by the Numbers
24%
average turnout in last three municipal elections
3%
percentage of N.J. municipalities where mayors rather than voters choose school boards
3%
percentage of N.J. towns and cities with “off-cycle” municipal elections in May
$0
raised by Vote Montclair from outside interests