CHATHAM—Voters here and in the Hudson and Ichabod Crane School Districts will have two ways to cast their ballots in the school budget referendum and school board election June 9.
All voters must use absentee ballots forms, which include a postage-paid envelope to return marked ballots by mail. But the company that was printing and mailing blank ballots to voters for two of the three districts was delayed by what the Hudson website described as “supply shortages.”
Chatham was also affected by the shortage.
Ichabod Crane said all its ballots went out on time.
The Chatham and Hudson districts say that all ballot forms have now been sent to eligible voters. But the delay gives some voters less time to mail back the marked ballots to the district clerks by deadline at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 9. So to give voters more options, all three districts will set up locked drop-off points, where district staff members will monitor the ballot boxes.
Chatham
The district released the following statement Tuesday, June 3:
“To ensure all voters can cast their votes, the Chatham Central School District will not only accept absentee ballots by mail but the district will also have two days for Absentee Ballot curbside drop off. This will take place on Monday, June 8, from 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and Tuesday, June 9, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Mary E. Dardess Elementary School.
“The ballot should have your name and address legible on the envelope and make sure you have signed the oath envelope. Voters can drive up to the main entrance and deposit their ballot in a secure lockbox which will be manned throughout the drop-off period to ensure all votes are secure.”
In addition to the annual budget proposition, Chatham voters are asked whether to reduce the number of members on the Board of Education from nine members to seven. Three people are running for three open seats on the board.
Hudson
Because ballots, no matter how they are delivered, are due no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, the district website advises: “Be sure to allow sufficient time for delivery by the post office (2-5 days). Due to the delay, besides return mail, voters will also be able to drop off completed absentee ballots to ensure their ballots are received by the June 9 deadline (by 5 p.m.). If you are unable to mail your completed ballot, you can drop off your ballot at one of the following locations on Monday, June 8 or Tuesday, June 9 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.:
• Hudson Jr./Sr. High School Event Entrance (215 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson)
• John L. Edwards School (360 State St, Hudson)
• Central Fire Station (77 N. 7th St, Hudson)
• A.B. Shaw Firehouse (67 Route 23, Claverack)
• Greenport Community Center (500 Town Hall Dr, Hudson).
School representatives will be at each of the above locations with secure lock boxes on June 8 and 9 (8 a.m.-5 p.m.). Please be reminded that the ballot envelope must be signed for the vote to be counted.”
Hudson City School District voters will choose whether to support the budget and whether to approve the creation of a capital reserve account; there are no funds requested for the account. Two incumbents are running for reelection unopposed.
Ichabod Crane
Ballots can be mailed or dropped off at Central Office from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Monday-Friday) before the deadline of 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 9.
In addition to the budget, there are five people running for three seats on the Ichabod Crane Central School District Board of Education
All ballots must be in the hands of the school district by the June 9 deadline. Ballots that are postmarked by the deadline but are not in the possession of district officials will not be counted.