1050 Annual District Election and Budget Vote

The district shall hold an annual meeting and election at which the district’s authorized voters will elect members of the Board of Education and vote on the district budget for the coming school year. The annual district meeting and election will be held on the third Tuesday in May, unless this date conflicts with religious observances on that day, in which case the annual meeting and election will be held on the second Tuesday in May.

The District Clerk shall publish a notice of the time and place of the annual meeting and election at least four (4) times within the seven (7) weeks prior to the meeting, in two (2) newspapers having general circulation within the district. The first publication of the notice shall be at least 45 days prior to the meeting. The notice shall also contain notice of any other matter required by law.

Copies of the budget to be voted upon at the annual meeting election will be available in each district school building for district residents upon request at the time of the annual meeting and election and 14 days (other than Saturday, Sunday, and holidays) prior to the meeting.

The Board shall appoint assistant clerks and election inspectors necessary for the annual meeting and election at a Board meeting held before the annual meeting and election.

Propositions

The Board has the authority, under the Education Law, to adopt reasonable rules and regulations concerning the submission of petitions to the Board to place propositions on the ballot that may amend the budget. Pursuant to those provisions, the Board establishes the following guidelines:

1. Unless otherwise provided by the Education Law, petitions for the submission of a proposition must contain a minimum of 200 signatures of the eligible voters who voted in the previous annual election of the members of the Board of Education.
    
2. Petitions must be filed with the District Clerk at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting, except for petitions relating to a proposition that must be included in the notice of the annual meeting (e.g., changing the number of board members). Such petitions must be submitted 75 days in advance of the annual meeting to facilitate the preparation and printing of the ballots.
    
3. Propositions must include the specific appropriations necessary for the purposes listed.
    
4. Wording of a petition must comply with legal requirements. If the wording does not comply, it may be changed or altered by the Board, or the Board may reject a petition for failure to comply.

Any petition filed pursuant to these rules shall contain with respect to each person signing it at least the signature and address of the qualified voter of the school district, and the date of signing by such qualified voter.

The Board shall examine each petition filed for the submission of proposition and shall determine whether such proposition is for a purpose authorized by law to be voted upon by the qualified electors of the district, and if it shall determine that such proposition is for a purpose not authorized by law to be voted upon by the qualified electors of the district, it shall omit such proposition from the voting machine.

Propositions received in accordance with these specifications will be placed on the ballot as amendments and will be voted upon by the voters in the same manner as the proposed budget, except that the Board shall not be required to place any proposition on the ballot that is within the exclusive province of the Board, or otherwise forbidden by law.

The Board shall, in its discretion, determine the order in which questions and propositions shall appear upon the voting machines.

No proposition involving the budget may be submitted to the voters more than twice.

The Board may also, on its own motion, submit propositions.

Ref:
Education Law §§416(3); 1608(2); 1716(2) 1804(4); 1906(1); 2002(1); 2003(1)(2); 2004(1)-(7); 2009; 2021;2022(1), (4)-(5); 2035(2); 2601-a(2)
General Construction Law §60
Matter of Hebel, 34 EDR 319 (1994)
Matter of Martin, 32 EDR 567 (1993)
Matter of Como, 30 EDR 214 (1990)
Appeal of Atkins, 35 EDR 375 (1996)

Approved by the Board of Education: 07/13/06
Revision Approved by the Board of Education: 03/16/17

Download the Annual District Election and Budget Vote PDF