To get on the ballot for the upcoming school board election is incredibly easy this year thanks to an Executive Order issued by Governor Cuomo this past Friday. No need to gather petition signatures, no need to visit City Hall.
Just complete the Candidate Affirmation Form, put your name and address on a blank Candidate Petition Form (just your name and address at the top) and email them both to the School Clerk by Monday May 11th at 5 pm:
The Candidate Petition Form like this:
Here are the details:
The following Board of Education members’ terms of office will expire on June 30, 2020. The new terms of office for candidates for these two positions will run from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2025.
- Lianne Merchant
- Christopher Daniello
To qualify for membership on the school board, an individual:
- must be at least eighteen years of age;
- must be able to read and write;
- must be a citizen of the United States;
- must be a qualified voter of the district;
- must be a resident of the school district for at least one year prior to election;
- may not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year;
- may not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family;
- may not be an employee when he/she takes oath of office to commence board service and;
- may not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.
Based on the election being held on June 9th, nominating petitions must be filed in the office of the District Clerk by 5:00 pm on Monday, May 11, 2020.
No minimum number of signatures are required to be obtained under Executive Order 202.26. Therefore, a nominating petition my be submitted with no signatures. Just fill out the name and address at the top, leave the rest blank, ignore the part about 100 signatures required. This year none are required.
To ensure the safety and welfare of school board candidates and the District Clerk, nominating petitions which are filed in the Office of the District Clerk by email or mail delivery should be accepted.
There will be no drawing of lots for candidate positioning on the ballot. The names of candidates will appear on the ballot in alphabetical order.
Each candidate must complete notarized Expenditure Affidavits as follows, and submit as indicated on appropriate form: Complete either Form A or B on or before May 11, and June 4, and June 29, 2020, and either Form C or Don or before May 11, and June 4, and June 29, 2020. Form E is to be used if campaign contributions exceed $1,000 between June 4, 2020 and June 9, 2020, and reported within 24 hours of receipt. Pursuant to a previous Executive Order, the notary public requirement is waived. The candidate will simply be able to sign a statement attesting to the truth of the contents of the expenditure statement without a notary signature.
If you have any questions with regard to filing a petition, please contact
Lisdalia I. Saraiva
Clerk and Secretary to the Board of Education
City School District of New Rochelle
515 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801-3416
Tel.: (914) 576-4219 Fax: (914) 576-4613
E-mail: lsaraiva@nredlearn.org
After you are added to the ballot fill you will file Expenditure Affidavits on May 11, June 4 and June 29.
UPDATE 5/11: As part of the ongoing effort to suppress the number of people on the ballot for school board, the Clerk just announced a NEW REQUIREMENT. Up until today, the Clerk has said that NO NOTARY is required on the Expenditure Affidavits. At the 11th hour, the Clerk has announced that the lawyers for the school district have decided that a notary IS REQUIRED but can be done online. Few people have access to an online notary so this is yet another roadblock for people wishing to be added to the ballot AND preventing voters from voting for the candidate of their choice.
- There is no connection between being on the ballot (filing the Candidate Affirmation form and the Petition Sheet as described above) so if you cannot find a way to get the Expenditure Affidavit notarized today you can tell the Clerk and she will have to accept that her failure to give proper notice of the Notary requirement caused a delay, not you.
- You can also go to City Hall and the Clerk will notarize the document. Call Liz Saraiva and she will arrange for someone to meet you outside in the parking lot.
- We found one online notary service which charges $25 for a video chat where they can notarize the Expenditure Affidavit: Notarize.com.
- Read more here: New York Governor Temporarily Adjusts Notary Law to Permit Use of Audio-Video Technology
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