Newark students’ guide to voting in local school board elections

This April, more than 7,000 16- and 17-year-olds in Newark will be eligible to vote in the city’s school board election for the first time.

New Jersey’s municipalities can set local voter requirements and Newark was the first city in the state and eighth in the U.S. to lower the voting age for local school board elections to 16. Similar measures have passed in cities like Oakland, C.A., Brattleboro, V.T., and Greenbelt, M.D.

REGISTER TO VOTE: Register to vote or check your registration at Vote.NJ.gov.

Newark City Council unanimously voted to approve the change in January 2024 but city officials said implementation would be delayed until the April 2025 election due to voter registration issues.

The Jersey Bee held a weeklong community journalism workshop in August 2024 to compile a voter guide with and for Newark’s newest voters. It is designed to help new Newark voters understand the school board and voting processes.

What is the Newark Board of Education and what does it do?

New Jersey school boards represent the concerns of citizens, parents, and taxpayers to school administrators while representing student and school district needs to the public, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

The Newark Board of Education has nine members elected by the public during elections in April. 

Each board member serves a three-year term. They are responsible for overseeing Newark’s 66 public schools.

Three Newark board members sit on each of six committees to review district programs and operations. The committees are:

• Parent Engagement and Student Life.
• Personnel Policy.
• Instruction and Programs.
• Operations.
• Finance.
• Governance.

Newark’s school board appoints the district’s superintendent, also known as the district’s executive officer. Superintendents administer day-to-day operations, manage district employees and contractors, and advise and report to board members. They typically serve three- to five-year terms. 

Roger León has acted as Newark public schools’ superintendent since 2018. His contract expires on June 30, 2028.

In Newark, a budget director assists the business administrator in creating the Newark school district budget. Budgets may invest in facility upgrades, school activities, and curriculum development. School boards can also apply for state aid programs to help finance the district’s expenses.

New Jersey school boards are required to meet at least once every two months, according to state law. 

LEARN MORE: How do local school boards of education work in Essex County and New Jersey

Meetings are divided into conference, regular, and executive sessions. Conference and regular sessions are open to the public. They discuss district updates, including staff changes, school programs, and budgets.

How do I participate in Newark school board meetings?

People have the right to join, watch, and take part in school board meetings, according to the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act.

Meeting agendas inform the public about what the board will discuss, including votes and other actions the board might take. Agendas can include:

• Establishing or updating policies.
• Approving personnel changes.
• Discussions from school board committee meetings.

Meeting agendas are available online here on the day of each meeting.

LEARN MORE: How to access public meetings of local government boards in Essex County and New Jersey

Newark school board members typically hold public board meetings on the fourth Tuesday and Thursday of each month, according to the board’s website. Meetings are online and in-person, though the location varies.

The schedule, with dates, times, and locations, is available here. 

Meeting attendees can give public comment for three minutes during a portion of the meeting. Those interested in speaking must complete a public participation request here five calendar days before the meeting.

The school board maintains a video archive of past meetings here. 

How does voting for school board members affect education?

School boards are responsible for approving the district curriculum, adopting policies, and overseeing expenses throughout the year. But consistent low voter turnout in Newark school board elections means that a handful of voters have had a say in who makes decisions for the district.

“The youth has power in votes and voices,” said Allison K. James-Frison, co-vice president of Newark Board of Education, during The Jersey Bee’s community journalism workshop on student voting in Newark school board elections. “If the community sees the students are getting involved, there will be a bigger turnout.” 

Less than three percent of eligible voters participated in the 2024 school board election.

“The more people our age who are voting, the higher probability we will have for change,” said Ella Ojei, a 16-year-old Great Oaks Academy student from Newark, who participated in The Jersey Bee’s workshop.

How and when do I register to vote?

To vote in an election, a voter registration form must be completed and submitted by mail or online. The voter registration deadline in New Jersey is 21 days before the day of the election.

REGISTER TO VOTE: Register to vote or check your registration at Vote.NJ.gov.

For the 2025 election, the deadline to register to vote is March 25.

Newark youth must meet the following requirements to register to vote:

• A United States citizen.
• At least 15-years-old at the time of registration and 16-years-old on or before the day of the election.
• A Newark resident for at least 30 days before the day of the election.
• Not currently incarcerated.

The Youth Voter Registration Application is available online or in paper form at a local election office, public library, or high school. Applicants must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number or their driver’s license/ID number when completing the form.

Proof of ID is not required on the day of voting.

Where and when do I vote?

Newark’s school board races are held in April. The 2025 election date is April 15.

Voters can cast a ballot at their designated polling location on the day of the election or by mail. Early voting does not apply to school board elections.

Voting polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. for the 2025 Newark school board election.

Learn more

Voters can find updates about candidates, voting periods, and ballot information on state and local government websites and through local news outlets.

Government websites

New Jersey Voter Information Portal is the official state government website for finding updates about election results, voter information, and polling locations.

Essex County Board of Elections provides updates about election dates and an online preview of ballots specific to Essex County.

Free local news services

Chalkbeat reports on education news in U.S. cities, including Newark. In 2024, Chalkbeat co-sponsored a candidate forum one week before the school board election.

The Jersey Bee distributes a daily newsletter called The Daily Buzz that updates readers about their local government, schools, and events that they can participate in. You can subscribe to the Newark newsletter here.