6.4 Absentee Ballots
2017 1640
By-Laws
By-Laws
The Board of Education 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 shall be used for the election of School Board members, School District public library trustees, the adoption of the annual budget and School 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/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 (7) 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.
Pursuant to the provisions of Education Law, a qualified District voter is eligible to vote by absentee ballot if he/she is unable to appear to vote in person on the day of the School District election/vote because:
- He/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;
- He/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 School District election/vote;
- He/she will be on vacation outside of the county or city of residence on the day of such District election/vote;
- He/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
- He/she will be absent from the School District on the day of the School District election/vote by reason of accompanying spouse, parent or child who is or would be, if he/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/her vote may be canvassed.
A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued shall 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 shall 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/her reasons known to the election inspector before the close of the polls.
Education Law Sections 2014, 2018-a and -b, and 2613
Adopted: 9/16/04
Readopted: 10/19/2017