In a show of support for schools, Cape Elizabeth voters rejected the Town Council’s approved 2008-2009 budget Tuesday by a 3-2 majority, with nearly 60 percent saying in an advisory ballot item that they thought the budget was too low.

Voters rejected the $19.7 million school budget, 1,891-1,250, according to early election results, with 1,638 voting that the budget was too low and 1,110 voting that it was too high.

The School Board and Town Council will now have the opportunity to submit a new budget for public vote.

“I’m happy with the results because I think it reflects the priority that the town puts on our schools,” said Frank Governali, a spokesman for Citizens Advocating for Public Education (CAPE), a group of residents that formed in recent weeks to advocate for a higher school budget. “It also reflects the fact that the support of schools goes beyond just parents … It recognizes that schools are a community wide resource which should be very satisfying to the teachers as well as to the parents of the kids.”

Town Councilor Sara Lennon, who had been a vocal minority of one on the council advocating for a higher budget, said she is “delighted” by the vote.

“I feel vindicated for the school people, for (Superintendent) Alan Hawkins who works so hard, for all the teachers, the administrators and the School Board,” she said. “This is just a strong, strong message from the (voters) of Cape telling them how much we value what we do … That we had such a big turnout just indicates the passion and the commitment and involvement, which just makes Cape a great community.”

The school budget has divided both the School Board and Town Council from the start. Hawkins began the budget season by presenting the School board with a 13 percent proposed budget increase, one that he said reflected the actual needs of the school. The School Board whittled that down to 6 percent but only narrowly approved the 6 percent budget, 4-3, with three members advocating for a higher number and three members advocating for a lower one.

The council then lopped another $263,000 off and passed the approved budget 4-3, with James Rowe and Anne Swift-Kayatta opposed because they thought the budget was too high and Lennon opposed because she felt it was too low.

Lennon and Governali said they hope that the School Board will resubmit its 6 percent budget to Council, and that the council will pass it on for public vote without making any reductions.

Hawkins and other Council and School Board members did not immediately respond to e-mails seeking comment Wednesday morning.