A virtual forum for candidates running for the Princeton Public School (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) will take place on Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m., although all three available positions remain uncontested for the first time since 2012. The forum will be co-hosted by Princeton Parents for Black Children, Not In Our Town Princeton, and Civil Rights Princeton.
This election comes on the heels of a highly competitive 2024 BOE election cycle, with six candidates running for three open seats.
Two of the three candidates this year are incumbents. Current president Dafna Kendal and vice president Susan Kanter were elected in 2019. Erica Snyder, a newcomer, will run for the remaining seat.
Debbie Bronfeld, who has held a position on the board for three terms since 2017, is not running for reelection this year.
Princeton’s BOE has a total of nine members, with three seats up for reelection this year. The deadline to submit candidate nominations for the November election falls on the last Monday in July, meaning candidates Kendal, Kanter, and Snyder are essentially guaranteed their seats.
Community organizations hosting the forum wrote that they intend to “emphasize the vital importance of the event for community engagement,” regardless of the uncontested nature of the election. The election will take place on Nov. 4, with all residents of the PPS district eligible to vote.
Even on uncontested ballots, write-in votes remain an option, meaning that it is theoretically possible — albeit rare — for a write-in contestant to win a seat.
In the case that a candidate is unable to continue their campaign or has to step down during their term, the board would have 65 days to accept applications and appoint the position or the county superintendent must fill the vacancy.
Election results are usually announced days after the election takes place, as mail-in ballots continue to be received. Following the election in early November, board members will be announced with the new term for the board beginning in January. The first meeting of the new term will include a swearing-in for the elected candidates.
The Princeton Public School Board is one of several local and state wide elections coming up this November including two Princeton council seats, Mercer County Clerk, Mercer County Commissioner, and the highly contested N.J. gubernatorial election.
Candidates for this year’s BOE election have already expressed views regarding the governor’s race. The forum on Thursday aims to address “critical issues facing the Princeton Public School District and outline their visions for its future,” according to Princeton Online.
Registration is required to attend the virtual forum and can be found on the Princeton Online website.
Devon Rudolph is an associate News editor and staff Sports writer. She is from Fairfax, Va. and typically directs investigative coverage. She can be reached at dr7917[at]princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]princeton.edu.
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