South Orange-Maplewood School Board Candidates File For 2026 Election

Here's who threw their hats into the ring in the South Orange-Maplewood School District this year.

By Eric Kiefer, Patch Staff

Jul 28, 2026 10:57 AM EDT | Updated Jul 28, 2026 11:05 AM EDT

SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The race has begun for three open school board seats in South Orange and Maplewood.

The South Orange-Maplewood Public School District is holding a board of education contest as part of the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 13. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

According to the Essex County Clerk's Office, four candidates have filed to run for three open seats on the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. Terms last for three years.

The candidates are:

Elizabeth Callahan
William Meyer
Patricia Azeez
Kevin Diaz

SERVING ON A SCHOOL BOARD

In New Jersey, school board members are nonpartisan and do not declare political parties when running for office. They do not receive pay or benefits for their service.

According to the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), the main responsibilities of board of education members are:

"The board of education adopts policies under which the school district operates; oversees the budget; approves the curriculum; hires and evaluates the superintendent; represents the public during contract negotiations; and serves as a communications link between the community and the school system."

"The school board does not operate the district on a day-to-day basis; that is the job of the superintendent, who is the district's chief executive," the NJSBA states. "Rather, the school board sets the policies, goals and objectives for the district – and it holds the superintendent responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the goals."

A survey by the National School Boards Association found 63 percent of board members spend 11 to 50 hours a month on board duties, with some dedicating even more time to the position.

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