As a result of Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order, this year’s annual budget vote and election for all school districts must be conducted by absentee ballot only. Ballots must be received by the District Clerk by 5:00 pm on June 9, 2020. To facilitate the printing and mailing of the ballots to the registered voters in our community, the Port Jervis City School District contracted with NTS, a company that many other school districts are utilizing for this service. It was our understanding that the process would have been completed during the week of May 26, exceeding the necessary timeline for the delivery and return of ballots.
On Friday afternoon, May 29, 2020, many school districts, including our school district, received notification that as a result of a statewide supply shortage of envelopes, there is a delay in completing the mailing process of our absentee ballots. Rather than wait for the process to resume when the envelopes were received, the Port Jervis CSD was able to secure the necessary number of envelopes and complete the printing of ballots over the weekend. As a result, all voting materials will be mailed on Monday, June 1, 2020.
While this mailing is prior to the mailing deadline of June 3, 2020, it still results in a quick turnaround for the return of the completed ballots. Please note that in addition to returning the ballots via the United States Postal Service, the following protocol is being put in place to ensure that ballots can be received by the June 9th deadline:
- Ballot boxes for in-person drop off will be located at three locations in our district from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm each business day.
- Hamilton Bicentennial Elementary School (Main entrance vestibule)
- Buildings and Grounds Office (10 Route 209, Port Jervis, NY)
- District Office (9 Thompson Street, Port Jervis, NY)*
*Please note that the District Office will receive ballots until 5:00 pm on June 9, 2020.
Each household should have received a Budget Newsletter and additional information regarding the budget and Board of Education elections is located on the Port Jervis CSD website, www.pjschools.org. If there are any questions regarding the ballot process or the 2020-2021 Port Jervis CSD Budget, please contact the District Clerk, Kristen Lopez, at 845-858-3100 Extension 15511 or via email, klopez@pjschools.org.
Thank you for the continued cooperation and support.
Mike Rydell