School elections in Moorestown will remain in April and residents can still vote on the budget—at least for one more year.

Members of the board of education voted 5-2 Friday morning—with one abstention—against moving the election to November.

Board members Don Mishler, Kevin O’Sullivan, Kathy Goldenberg, Matthew Simeone and William Van Fossen III voted “no” on a resolution to move the election and exempt the district from having to seek voter approval on the budget.

It was the latter provision that concerned O’Sullivan, who said school elections are the “one last bastion where (the public) can exercise their right to vote” on a budget.

Under the new legislation, districts would not have to seek voter approval on the budget as long as it remained under the 2 percent cap.

Board President Don Mishler said, “The possibility that we can institute a budget without a vote wasn’t a motivation.”

Mishler was more concerned however with the possibility that school elections, if held during the general election cycle, could become more politicized due to influence from political parties and special interest groups coordinating campaigns.

Vice President Kathy Goldenberg worried the “lag time” between a November election and reorganization in January could create the potential for lame duck boards.

Board Member David Weinstein—one of the two “yes” votes, along with Linda Alexandroff—countered: “Those issues are common with every level of government … On this type of board, you’re dealing with no more than a turnover of three people. So you’d still have a majority. You’re a public servant. Your obligation from the day you take office to the day you leave is to serve the public to the best of your ability.”

Van Fossen said the lag time was a “stumbling point” for him as well.

“It would be more acute with a board of education than other government bodies, because (November-January) is the meat of our season,” he said.

Weinstein also pointed to the potential $20,000+ savings the district could realize by not having to bear the full brunt of an April election. “We could have done a lot of things with that money,” he said.

Board Member Christina Zajac abstained from the vote.

Board Member A. Leigh Powell was unable to attend the meeting, but Mishler said Powell “wanted to maintain the community’s right to vote on the budget.”

Though he voted against making the change this year, Mishler said he expects the decision to come before the board again next year, after it’s had a chance to see how other districts handle the change.

Moorestown Township Council has the ability—under the legislation—to shift the school election independent of the board of education’s decision. Mayor John Button has previously stated council would work with the school board on the matter and gave no indication that council would act unilaterally to change the election.

Voters also have the ability to move the election to November themselves by referendum, as long as 15 percent of the voters in the last presidential election sign a petition saying they want a referendum.