Asked about the school referendum on Hoboken’s ballot tomorrow determining whether to spend $241 million on a new high school, Gov. Phil Murphy did not specify his own position on the referendum, but did voice support for increasing voter turnout in local special elections.
“No opinion on the high school referendum,” Murphy said. “But as a general matter – not specific to their election – you want to try and get as many people voting as possible… Count me open-minded to any consideration about any number of steps we can do to open up democracy.”
Hoboken is one of ten school districts holding ballot referenda tomorrow, alongside Franklin Lakes, Cresskill, Westampton, Lindenwold, Lower Cape May Regional, Clinton-Glen Gardner, Princeton, Mendham, and Manville. Hoboken’s is the only referendum to not involve state funding; the entire $241 million project would be paid for with property taxes.
If past school district special elections are any indication, voter turnout tomorrow is likely to be abysmal. Last September, when Rahway held a referendum on whether to spend $37.7 million on school infrastructure improvements, only around 6% of the city’s voters showed up to the polls – and, unlike tomorrow’s voters, they didn’t have to contend with below-freezing temperatures.
Murphy expressed openness to changing the timing of elections as one potential step to solving low turnout, but – as has been the case in the past – did not commit to supporting any particular policy or initiative.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
May 12, 2020 -
January 22, 2019 -
May 30, 2020