New Jersey’s final Election Day of 2025 is over, with two school districts approving bond referendum initiatives, one rejecting it, and one that won’t be decided tonight.
A $39.1 million bond referendum in Mantua is too close to call, with 1,097 votes (50.5%) cast to reject the plan and 1,074 votes (49.5%) in support of it. It’s not clear how many provisional ballots have been cast, or how many vote-by-mail ballots remain uncounted. Some VBMs postmarked by 8 PM tonight might still arrive – all could change the 23-vote margin of the measure for additions and renovations for three schools, of which $27 million qualifies for aid. The state would cover 40%, or more than $10.8 million.
In Shamong, voters rejected a $25 million plan to upgrade Indian Mills School and Indian Mills Memorial School by a margin of nearly 2-1: 684 voters voted no (64%), and 384 voted yes (36%). The project was fully eligible for aid, though local notices list just $10,000 in direct state funding. On Monday, Superior Court Judge John Harrington turned down a last-minute bid to shut down the election.
Woodbine approved a $4.15 million bond referendum by a vote of 93-41, a 69%-31% margin. The plan sought elementary school improvements with more than $2.7 million, or 66% of the eligible costs.
Voters in Deerfield, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hopewell, Shiloh, Stow Creek, and Upper Deerfield approved a $10.37 million renovation package for Cumberland Regional High School by a 1,085-730 vote margin, 60%-40%. The plan is set to receive $6.6 million in state aid, representing almost two-thirds of the eligible costs.
Last week, Superior Court Judge Robert Gardner abruptly canceled tomorrow’s election in Montclair.
