All school budget votes and board elections in New York State have been delayed until Tuesday, June 9, according to an executive order from Governor Andrew Cuomo. Voting will be conducted by mail and all qualified voters will be sent an absentee ballot with return postage paid. This means there will be no in-person voting at district schools.

Absentee ballots, approximately 22,000 of them, were mailed to all registered voters on Wednesday, May 27. Voters should expect to receive them by Saturday, May 30 or Monday, June 1.

Q&A: Budget Vote and Board Election

Q: When is this year’s budget vote and board election?
A: The new date of the budget vote and board election is Tuesday, June 9. As of state legislation passed on June 7, ballots for the school Budget Vote and Board Election can now be counted if mailed in and received by Tuesday, June 16. Ballots hand-delivered by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 can also be counted. These ballots can be dropped in our ballot box in front of Central Administration during normal business hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Q: If schools are closed, what is the process for voting?
A: All registered voters will be mailed an absentee ballot with a postage paid return envelope. Those voters should fill out their ballot and mail it back to the East Greenbush Central School District, 29 Englewood Ave., East Greenbush, NY 12061. The district must receive ballots by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.

Q: How do I fill out my absentee ballot?
A: Voters should follow the instructions on the absentee ballot, specifically, make a single cross “X” or a single check “√” in the voting square and do not make any stray marks on the ballot. Please also remember to sign the return envelope in the designated area, otherwise, your ballot will be rendered invalid and it will not be counted.

Q: How should I return my absentee ballot?
A: Please return your ballot in the postage paid return envelope. Only one ballot should be in each envelope. For example, if your household has two registered voters returning absentee ballots, please send each ballot back in its own envelope. Ballots should be sent by mail to the district office at: East Greenbush CSD, 29 Englewood Ave., East Greenbush, NY 12061. Ballots returned by mail must be received at the district office by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16 so please send them back as soon as possible. Voters can also hand-deliver ballots by putting them in our ballot box in front of Central Administration during normal business hours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. by Tuesday, June 9.

Q: How do I obtain a ballot if I am not already registered to vote?
A: To receive a ballot, you must be registered to vote. All in-person voter registration has been suspended by New York State. Individuals may register online at the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Q: What if I’m a registered voter but did not receive an absentee ballot?
A: Please contact Jeanne Pangburn, District Clerk, at 518-207-2524 or pangburnje@egcsd.org.

Q: What does the absentee ballot look like?
A: A sample absentee ballot is shown below. Voters will decide on 1) the proposed school budget 2) bus purchase from Bus Purchase Reserve Fund and 3) three open seats for the Board of Education.