By David Madden

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) – Four out of five New Jersey school boards have opted to hold their elections in November, rather than the usual April, thanks to a change in state law. This will present both benefits and challenges.

On the one hand, budgets won’t be subject to voter approval unless they exceed a 2-percent cap on increased spending.

On the other hand, those running for the board face a lot of competition, including the Presidential election and everything else going on locally.

“There are a lot of people whose names will appear on the ballot, says Frank Belluscio, who is with the New Jersey School Boards Association. “The school board members, however, will be in a separate non-partisan section of the ballot.

They will be below all the rest, which will make them a little harder to find.

Belluscio hopes, however, participation in the school elections will be a lot higher than usual.

“You do have more people coming to the polls in November, especially this year with a Presidential election, than you would have in April,” he said.

The challenge appears to be just how many voters go all the way down that ballot.