ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETING AND ELECTION/BUDGET VOTE
In accordance with law, the Annual District Meeting and Election/Budget Vote for the District will be held on the third Tuesday in May. At this time, the District’s registered voters will elect members of the Board and will also vote on the District Budget for the upcoming school year. However, in the event that the third Tuesday in May conflicts with a religious holiday, the Board may petition the Commissioner of Education to obtain permission to hold the Annual Meeting and Election/Budget Vote on the second Tuesday in May. Such request from the Board must be certified and received by the
Commissioner no later than March 1.
Effective April 1, 2006, in the event that a school budget revote is necessary; it will be held on the third Tuesday of June. However, in the event that the third Tuesday of June conflicts with a religious holiday, the Board may petition the Commissioner of Education to obtain permission to hold the budget revote on the second Tuesday in June. Such request from the Board must be certified and received by the Commissioner no later than March 1.
The District Clerk will give notice of the time and place of holding the Annual Meeting and Election/Budget Vote by publishing such notice four times within seven weeks preceding the meeting. The first publication of the notice must be at least 45 days prior to the meeting. Such notice must appear
in two newspapers, if there are two newspapers which have a general circulation within the District, or one newspaper, if there is one newspaper with a general circulation within the District. The notice will also contain such other information as required by law.
Copies of the proposed annual operating budget for the succeeding year to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting and Election will be available to District residents, on request, in each District school building during certain designated hours on each day other than a Saturday, Sunday or holiday during
the 14 days preceding such Annual Meeting. The availability of this budget information will be included in a legal notice of the Annual Meeting; and such copies of the proposed budget will also be available to District residents at the time of the Annual Meeting and Election.
Education Law Sections 1608, 1716, 1804(4), 1906(1), 2003(1), 2004(1), 2007(3), 2017(5), 2017(6), 2022(1),
2504 and 2601-a(2)
NOTE: Refer also to Policy #1640 — Absentee Ballots
BUSINESS OF THE ANNUAL DISTRICT ELECTION
The Board will appoint a qualified voter as chairperson of the Annual District Meeting and Election/Budget Vote.
The chairperson will call the Annual District Meeting to order and proceed to the following order of business:
a) Designation of District Clerk as clerk of the election and assistant clerks;
b) Designation of tellers and/or inspectors of election as previously appointed by the Board;
c) Reading of notice of call of the election by the Clerk;
d) Opening of the booths for voting;
e) Closing of the booths;
f) Receiving the report of the Clerk of the results of the elections;
g) Adjournment.
Education Law Sections 1716, 2025 and 2601-2613
ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
The Annual Organizational Meeting of the Board will be held on the first Tuesday in July of each year, unless that day is a legal holiday, in which event it will be held on the first Wednesday in July. The Board may pass a resolution, however, to hold its Annual Organizational Meeting at any time during the first 15 days of July.
Officers
The meeting will be called to order by the District Clerk, who will act as a Temporary Chairperson. The Board will proceed to the election of a President. The President will then take the chair. The Board will then elect a Vice President. Election will be by a majority vote.
Oath of Office
The District Clerk will administer the Oath of Office to the newly elected officers and new members of the Board.
Education Law Sections 1701, 1706, 1707, 1709, 2109, 2502(9) and 2504(1)
LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS AT SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETINGS
A person will be entitled to register and vote at any school meeting for election of members of the Board, and upon all matters which may be brought before such meeting, who is:
a) A citizen of the United States;
b) Eighteen years of age or older;
c) A resident within the District for a period of 30 days preceding the next meeting at which he or she offers to vote.
Any person who would not be qualified to register or vote under the provisions of Election Law Sections 5-100 and 5-106 will not have the right to register for or vote in an election.
Education Law Sections 2012, 2025 and 2603
Election Law Article 5
Personal Registration of Voters
Personal registration of voters in the Pine Bush Central School District has been provided. The Board will authorize registration of voters on dates to be determined at their discretion. The registration must include all persons registering personally for the referendum or election in question. The register will also include:
a) All persons who previously have registered for any annual budget referendum or special meeting of election held with four calendar years prior to the year in which such register is being prepared.
b) Any person who is registered to vote under the provisions of Election Law Section 5-612(2) and amendments.
The last day of registration will not be less than five days nor more than 14 days preceding the annual budget referendum or election. Such registration must be open for at least four consecutive hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The Board reserves the right to revoke the provisions for personal registration in this District. However, once revoked they cannot be reinstated unless authorized by the voters at a District election.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
The Board authorizes the District Clerk or a Board designee (the latter only if the District does not provide for the personal registration of voters) to provide absentee ballots to qualified District voters.
Absentee ballots will be used for the election of Board members, District public library trustees, the
adoption of the annual budget and District public library budget and referenda.
A District voter must request in advance an application for an absentee ballot. The voter must complete the application and state the reason he or she will not be able to appear in person on the day of the District election/vote for which the absentee ballot is requested. The application must be received by the District Clerk or Board designee at least seven days before the election/vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election/vote if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter.
In accordance with the provisions of Education Law, a qualified District voter is eligible to vote by absentee ballot if he or she is unable to appear to vote in person on the day of the District election/vote because:
a) He or she is or will be a patient in a hospital, or is unable to appear personally at the polling place on the day of the election/vote because of illness or physical disability;
b) He or she has duties, occupation or business responsibilities, or studies which require being outside of the county or city of residence on the day of the District election/vote;
c) He or she will be on vacation outside of the county or city of residence on the day of such District election/vote;
d) He or she will be absent from the voting residence due to detention in jail awaiting action by a grand jury or awaiting trial, or is confined in prison after conviction for an offense other
than a felony; or
e) He or she will be absent from the District on the day of the District election/vote by reason of accompanying spouse, parent or child who is or would be, if he or she were a qualified
voter, entitled to apply for the right to vote by absentee ballot.
Statements on the application for absentee ballot must be signed and dated by the voter.
An absentee ballot must reach the Office of the District Clerk or Board designee not later than 5 p.m. on the day of the election/vote in order that his or her vote may be canvassed.
A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued will be maintained in the Office of the District Clerk or Board designee and made available for public inspection during regular office hours until the day of the election/vote. Any qualified voter may, upon examination of such list, file a written challenge of the qualifications as a voter of any person whose name appears on such list, stating the reason for such challenge. The written challenge will be transmitted by the District Clerk or Board designee to the election inspectors on the day of the District election/vote. In addition, any qualified
voter may challenge the acceptance of the absentee voter’s ballot of any person on such list by making his or her reasons known to the election inspector before the close of the polls.
Education Law Sections 1501-c, 2014, 2018-a, 2018-b and 2613
SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS AND PROPOSITIONS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION AND SPECIAL DISTRICT MEETINGS
Questions and Propositions at Annual Meeting and Election
The following rules and regulations will apply to the submission of the questions or propositions at the annual meeting and election of this District:
a) Questions or propositions will be submitted by petition directed to the District Clerk and will be signed by 25 qualified voters, or five percent of the registered voters of the District who voted in the previous annual election of Board members, whichever is greater.
b) A separate petition will be required for each question or proposition.
c) Each petition will be filed with the District Clerk. Petitions relating to an Annual Election must be filed not later than 60 days preceding the election at which the question or
proposition is to be voted upon.
d) Questions or propositions submitted in accordance with these rules and accepted will be printed on the ballot for the voting machine. The District, however, retains the right to reject
petitions as permitted by law, including but not limited to instances where such petitions are advisory in nature or beyond the power of the voters.
e) The Board will cause the rules and regulations set forth in this policy to be distributed within the District.
f) Nothing herein contained will affect the nominations of candidates as set forth in the Annual District Election notice in accordance with Education Law Section 2018.
Questions or Propositions to be Submitted at Special District Meetings
The procedure for requesting the Board to call a Special District Meeting to vote on a question or proposition will be in accordance with subdivisions 2 and 3 of Education Law Section 2008.
Education Law Sections 1703, 2008, 2018, 2035(2) and 2601-a