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, and mail a budget notice to all residents after the budget hearing.
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 public hearing on the proposed budget will be held remotely via livestream on May 27.
Board of Education Election
The order also waived the minimum signature threshold for Board of Education candidates. Individuals can declare themselves to be a candidate for the school board, according to the order, provided they meet all other legal requirements to get on the ballot. These include being qualified voters and having lived in the district continuously for one year prior to the election.
Those interested in candidacy must submit a nominating petition to district clerk Johanna Maloney at jmmalone@cohoes.org by 5 p.m. on May 11.
Download a nominating petition form
Candidates will be listed alphabetically on ballots.
Up for election are two board seats, currently held by Margaret Giller and Helen Annely.