Residents interested in running for their local board of education in November must file candidate nominating petitions with at least 25 valid signatures in their respective county clerk’s office one week from today.
This year’s annual school election will be held on Nov. 3, 2026. The deadline for candidates to submit their nominating petition is 4:00 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2026.
New Jersey School Boards Association has posted a 2026 candidate kit online at NJSBA Candidates Kit on the NJSBA website.
Residents interested in board member candidacy can download the free kit, which includes information on:
- Important Dates
- Nominating Petition
- Sample News Release for Business Administrators
- Vote Poster for downloading
- How to Become a School Board Member
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Requirements of the New Jersey School Ethics Act
- Criminal Background Checks
- Campaign Reporting Requirements
Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi encouraged prospective candidates to file their petitions with the county clerk’s office well before the deadline to allow time for the staff to review them and notify candidates of any issues or errors that may need to be corrected.
Prospective candidates may be impacted by a change in New Jersey law that took effect on February 3, 2025, which increased the number of valid signatures required on a school board candidate nominating petition from 10 to 25.
All school board petitions must now contain at least 25 valid signatures to qualify for placement on the ballot.
A candidate must file a nominating petition with the county clerk for his or her name to appear on the ballot during the November Annual School Election.
The deadline to submit the nominating petition is 4:00 pm Monday, July 27, 2026. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Prospective school board candidates can download candidate information from the New Jersey School Boards Association’s website at NJSBA School Board Candidate Kit.
The School Board Candidate Kit includes information regarding nominating petitions, legal qualifications for school board candidacy, and the role of the school board member. Information about the New Jersey School Ethics Act and important dates in the school election process are also included.
A video guide explaining the petition filing process is available at www.unioncountyvotes.com.
There are 21 County Clerk’s offices in New Jersey, one for each county. A list of those locations may be found here.
For additional information, contact the office at 908-527-4996 or email ucvote@ucnj.org.
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