MANALAPAN-ENGLISHTOWN REGIONAL BOND REFERENDUM
Vote Nov. 5

Unofficial Referendum Results

As of Tuesday, Nov. 26, unofficial results from Monmouth County indicate the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District bond referendum has been approved by the voters. 12,854 voters approved the bond referendum and 8,402 opposed it. This count includes votes at the polls on Tuesday and mail-in ballots that have already been received.

The Monmouth County Clerk’s Office will continue to count additional mail-in ballots with a timely postmark received over the next several days along with provisional ballots. Updates will be posted here.

The Board of Education thanks Manalapan and Englishtown residents for voting and looks forward to taking the next steps toward the future of our schools and community.

Click on these links to read more about:
Proposed Improvements | Funding Details
FAQs | Voter Info

Watch a recording of the Bond Referendum  Community Information Forum 

Attendees heard from district representatives, the financial advisor, the bond counsel, and the architects who helped develop the plan to meet Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District’s needs.  

To watch a specific portion of the presentation, please use the timestamps below to find that segment: 

Watch a video overview:

<<< Learn about the Nov. 5 bond referendum to generate upfront funding for projects that would improve Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District’s facilities. More details are available at mersnj.us/vote

Continuing a Tradition of Excellence

As an award-winning school district with a tradition of academic excellence and community involvement, Manalapan-Englishtown School District (MERS) strives to educate students in safe, secure, and comfortable learning environments. Students can focus on learning when these core needs are met. 

>>> After significant state funding cuts, the district has moved from proactive, to more costly reactive maintenance to keep district spending focused on student programming.

State Aid Offsets the Local Share

We diligently plan and maintain our buildings, but all MERS facilities need long-lasting updates to continue the district’s tradition of supporting high-achieving students in safe, healthy learning environments. The Board is proposing a bond referendum to fund these large-scale projects.  


A bond referendum is a vote that asks permission to borrow money through the sale of bonds. The bonds would generate upfront funds to address needs more quickly than relying on the district’s annual operating budget and without relying solely on the local tax base.

>>> Completing projects with the help of state aid allows the district to move away from a repair-as-we-go approach to return to a more sustainable, proactive strategy.

A bond referendum is a responsible financial strategy to complete building upgrades because it spreads the costs over time and unlocks millions of dollars in state aid toward project costs. Taxpayers across New Jersey pay into this funding source, but only districts with approved referenda can bring that money back to invest in their local schools. The referendum gives the community a voice, and the state aid is only available with voter approval.  

Improving Facilities, Supporting Success

To be held during the General Election on November 5, the referendum proposes critical improvements to every school across the district, including:

Safety and Security

Accessibility

Cost Efficiency

Timeline and Next Steps

MERS is committed to keeping the community informed.