Bill Text: NJ A3552 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires certain school board vacancies to be filled by special election within 90 days of annual school election.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-04-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A3552 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A3552-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain school board vacancies to be filled by special election within 90 days of annual school election.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school board vacancies and amending N.J.S.18A:12-15.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.18A:12-15 is amended to read as follows:
18A:12-15. Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled as follows:
a. By the executive county superintendent, if the vacancy is caused by the absence of candidates for election to the school board or by the removal of a member because of lack of qualifications, or is not filled within 65 days following its occurrence;
b. By the executive county superintendent, to a number sufficient to make up a quorum of the board if, by reason of vacancies, a quorum is lacking;
c. By special election, if in the annual school election two or more candidates qualified by law for membership on the school board receive an equal number of votes. Such special election shall be held only upon recount and certification by the county board of elections of such election result, shall be restricted to such candidates, shall be held within [60] 90 days of the annual school election, and shall be conducted in accordance with procedures for annual and special school elections set forth in Title 19 of the Revised Statutes. The vacancy shall be filled by the executive county superintendent if in such special election two or more candidates qualified by law for membership on the school board receive an equal number of votes;
d. By special election if there is a failure to elect a member at the annual school election due to improper election procedures. Such special election shall be restricted to those persons who were candidates at such annual school election, shall be held within 60 days of such annual school election, and shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures for annual and special school elections set forth in Title 19 of the Revised Statutes;
e. By the commissioner if there is a failure to elect a member at the annual school election due to improper campaign practices; or
f. By a majority vote of the remaining members of the board after the vacancy occurs in all other cases.
Each member so appointed shall serve until the organizational meeting following the next annual election unless the member is appointed to fill a vacancy occurring within the 60 days immediately preceding such election if the annual election is held in April, or occurring after the third Monday in July if the election is held in November, to fill a term extending beyond such election, in which case the member shall serve until the organizational meeting following the second annual election next succeeding the occurrence of the vacancy, and any vacancy for the remainder of the term shall be filled at the annual election or the second annual election next succeeding the occurrence of the vacancy, as the case may be.
(cf: P.L.2013, c.172, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to change the number of days from 60 to 90 within which a special election must be held to fill a school board vacancy created from two or more qualified candidates receiving equal number of votes in an annual school election.
