Annual school budget vote and board election to be held June 9 by absentee ballot
In an executive order issued on Friday, May 1, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that this year’s school budget vote and board of education election will take place on June 9, exclusively by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
The executive order establishes a timeline of actions that schools must undertake leading up to this date, including sending an absentee ballot with a prepaid return envelope to all qualified voters. Qualified voters are defined as U.S. citizens who are 18 years or older and have lived in the district for at least 30 days prior to the vote.
Following budget adoption, the district will make the proposed budget available to the public, hold a budget hearing (which will take place remotely), and mail a budget notice to all residents after the budget hearing. This procedure is no different than other years except for the hearing being held remotely.
Additionally, the executive order calls for districts to send each qualified voter a postcard with the date of the election, the date of the budget hearing and the definition of a qualified voter.
The district is continuing to review the details of the executive order and will share more information, including the date of the public budget hearing, as soon as possible.
Board of Education Election:
The order also waived the minimum signature threshold for board of education candidates and states that candidates must meet all of the other requirements to run for the board. These include being qualified voters and having lived in the district continuously for one year prior to the election. For a full list of qualifications, click here
How to run:
District residents who are interested in running for a Board of Education position should email District Clerk Janet Montes at Jmontes@k12mcsd.net, or (845)794-7700 x70523 to request nominating petitions.
Nominating petitions must be submitted to the District Clerk no later than Monday, May 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. in order to appear on the ballot for the June 9, 2020 election. In light of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, petitions will be accepted by mail as well as by email.
As per Executive Order 202.26, there is no minimum number of signatures required for the June 9, 2020 School Board Election.
Full qualifications for potential Board candidates
To qualify for membership on a school board, an individual:
1. Must be able to read and write.
2. Must be a qualified voter of the district, that is, he/she must be a citizen of the United States.
3. At least eighteen years or older.
4. Not be a convicted felon or have been adjudged incompetent.
5. Must be and have been a resident (but need not be a taxpayer) of the district for a contin-uous and uninterrupted period of at least one year immediately before the election.
6. May be the only member of his/her family (defined as those within the same household) on the school board.
7. May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.
8. May not be a current employee of the school board.
9. Must not have been removed from a school district office within one year of the election.
If you have any questions, please call the District Clerk’s Office at 794-7700, ext. 70523.
Please note that “electioneering” is prohibited within 100 feet of the polling place