2020-21 School Budget Vote and BOE Election
Q and A
In light of the ongoing health crisis, Governor Cuomo provided direction to all NYS school districts on Friday, May 1, 2020 on how we are to conduct this year’s Budget Vote and Board of Education Election.
The procedures we must follow this year are very different from prior years. There will be no in-person voting. The Governor has directed schools to mail absentee ballots to every voter. We hope the following information will help our community understand how to participate in this important process.
Budget Vote Process
Q: What is the date of this year’s vote/election?
A: June 9, 2020 is the official date of the budget vote and Board of Education election. As you will see below, however, it is best not to think of this vote happening on a single day.
Q: How do we vote?
A: The Governor’s Executive Order 202.26 requires that absentee ballots be mailed to all voters by the school district. The District will mail absentee ballots (with a postage paid return envelope) to all registered voters – those residents whose names can be ascertained from the registration rolls used for the May 2019 budget vote and election, as well as those residents whose names have been added to the rolls since that time.
Q: When should I expect to receive my ballot?
A: We are currently working to determine the quickest way to print and prepare the necessary packets for the approximately 14,000 registered voters in our community. We hope to put ballots in the mail during the week of May 18.
Q: When should I mail my ballot back to the District?
A: We encourage voters to put their completed ballots back in the mail as quickly as possible. The Governor’s order states that ballots must be received by the School District Clerk no later than 5:00 PM on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Ballots received after that date and time, regardless of when they were mailed, cannot be counted.
Q: What if I’m a registered voter and I don’t receive a ballot?
A: If you have not received a ballot in the mail by the end of May, please email our Board Clerk at kmonzon@klschools.org.
Board of Education Election
Q: How do I vote for candidates for the Board of Education?
A: This year there are two seats up for election on the Board of Education. All candidates for these seats will be listed on the ballots mailed home. Voters may select up to two candidates, including a write-in candidate of their choice. If a ballot contains votes for more than two candidates (including any combination of printed and written-in candidates), the ballot will not be counted towards the BOE election.
Q: How do eligible community members become candidates and get their names on the printed ballot for the Board of Education election?
A: Nominating Petitions for candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education must be filed with the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 11, 2020. A nominating petition may be obtained by contacting the District Clerk via e-mail at: kmonzon@klschools.org. Once the petition has been obtained, it can also be returned electronically.
Registering to Vote
Q: If I’m not yet a registered voter, can I still register for this year’s vote?
A: For health and safety reasons, the Governor’s order directs schools not to allow in-person registration while schools are closed. Qualified voters can, however, use the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Electronic Voter Registration Application to register to vote or to update the information they have on file with the New York State Board of Elections. Information regarding can be located at: https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application. The District does not have control over the Department of Motor Vehicles Registration Application process or its registration timelines. Therefore, qualified voters who intend to register through the Department of Motor Vehicles should do so as soon as possible.
Q: What is a “qualified” voter?
A: A qualified voter must be a US Citizen, at least 18 years old by June 9, 2020, and a School District resident for 30 days immediately preceding the vote.
Q: If I have voted in the past, am I definitely registered for this year’s vote?
A: Not necessarily. You must have voted in one of the past 4 calendar years in order to remain a registered voter. If you are unsure of your status, you can check it by clicking here.
Information about the KLSD 2020-2021 Budget
Q: Has the KLSD taken into account the current financial situation in its preparation of the proposed 2020-2021 budget?
A: Next year's proposed budget maintains a flat Tax Levy (the sum of all taxes to be collected) from this year's school budget. Mindful of the current situation, we are asking the collective community for no increase in taxes.
Q: How can I learn more about the 2020-2021 Proposed KLSD School Budget?
A: There are several different ways to get information about the proposed budget.
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- The Board of Education has been discussing the proposed budget at its public meetings since February. Video recordings of each discussion and the relevant documentation are available on our website. The BOE currently plans to adopt the proposed 2020-21 budget at its meeting on May 7, 2020.
- When the proposed budget is adopted, it will be posted in its entirety on our website.
- The required budget notice which includes highlighted information about the proposed budget will be mailed to all households so that it arrives in the mandated time period prior to the vote.
- The Board of Education will hold its required annual budget hearing on Thursday, May 28, at 7:30 pm. This meeting will be held on the Zoom videoconferencing platform and all community members are invited to participate. A link for the meeting will be posted on our website when the agenda for the meeting is published.