Piscataway school board endorses ranked-choice voting

The Piscataway Board of Education voted last week to endorse state legislation that would allow ranked-choice voting in local elections.

Piscataway is the 10th municipality, including Hoboken, Montclair, and Princeton, to support ranked-choice voting in some official capacity, whether from a council or school board. Nancy Salgado-Cowan, the president of the Piscataway Board of Education, said the system, which allows

“We in Piscataway are committed to strengthening democratic participation and promoting electoral processes that reflect the full range of community preferences,” Salgado-Cowan said. “Giving voters a full range of choices strengthens the democratic process for all.”

A bill before the Legislature would allow municipalities and school boards to adopt ranked-choice voting, which advocates say better captures voters’ intents. 

Zach Kerns, the team lead of Voter Choice NJ Campaigns, said the push for ranked-choice voting will continue.

“The passage of this resolution in Piscataway shows that the movement for ranked-choice voting continues to gain momentum across New Jersey,” he said. “Voters and candidates are ready to change how we vote for school boards, ensuring representation for more of the community, and are tired of the toxic polarization and negative campaigning.”