TENAFLY—The fate of the $76.1 million Tenafly schools referendum held Sept. 17 will be decided on Friday, Sept. 27, as officials review 74 provisional ballots and a few mail-in ballots that require verification.
“As of Sept. 24, the vote margin between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ was too close to call,” said the district’s website. At that time, there were 1,148 votes against and 1,130 in favor—a difference of just 18 votes.
While the result remains uncertain, some election officials expressed doubt that the “no” voters would be overtaken, though they emphasized that nothing is certain.
Provisional ballots are used for various reasons, such as disputes over mail-in ballots, voter identification issues, or changes to a voter’s address or name. These ballots will be examined by the Bergen County Board of Elections, and final results are expected by noon on Sept. 27. Certification of the election is scheduled for noon on Oct. 2, according to County Clerk’s Office Elections Supervisor Sabrina Taranto.
The referendum, if approved, would result in $16.5 million in state aid, leaving taxpayers to fund $59.5 million. This would increase taxes by $881 per year on a home valued at $839,023 over a 20-year bond period.
The referendum proposes improvements to all of the district’s schools, including updates to infrastructure, heating, ventilation, security, and accessibility. Estimated completion of the projects is 3–5 years.
The district emphasized the need for these upgrades, noting that Tenafly High School is over 50 years old, while Maugham Elementary is nearly 100.
The proposed improvements include safety upgrades, ADA-compliant restrooms, energy-efficient maintenance projects, and solutions to flooding issues at Smith Elementary, with a portion of costs covered by state aid.
You can check the Bergen County Clerk’s website for live updates: https://www.bergencountyclerk.gov/Election.