QUALIFICATIONS FOR EARLY MAIL, ABSENTEE AND MILITARY VOTING

Early Mail Ballots: 

If you are a qualified voter of the Newfane Central School District, or will be on the date of the Budget Vote and Election, May 19, 2026, you may request in advance an application for an early mail ballot. 

An early mail ballot will also be mailed to a qualified district voter otherwise eligible for an early mail ballot who sends a signed letter requesting an early mail ballot which states the address of the voter to the District Clerk.  The signed letter must be received by the District Clerk not earlier than the thirtieth day before the election/vote and at least seven days before the election/vote.  Enclosed with the early mail ballot will be an application form for the early mail ballot.  The early mail ballot will not be counted unless a valid application form is enclosed with the ballot.

Absentee Ballots:

If you are a qualified voter of the Newfane Central School District, or will be on the date of the Budget Vote and Election, and will be unable to vote in person on May 19, 2026, you may request in advance an application for an Absentee Ballot.  The voter must complete the application and state the reason they will not be able to appear in person on the day of the Budget Vote and Election. 

A qualified voter is eligible to vote by absentee ballot if they expect in good faith to be in one of the following categories:

1. A resident or patient in a hospital, include a veteran’s administration hospital, or unable to appear personally at the polling place on that day because of  illness or physical disability, or duties related to the primary care of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled; or
2. Absent from their residence in Niagara County; provided, however, the applicant expects to be absent from the county for a duration covering more than one election and seeks an absentee ballot for each election, the applicant will state the dates when they expect to begin and end the absence; or
3. Detained in jail awaiting action by a grand jury or awaiting trial or confined in jail or prison after a conviction for an offense other than a felony and stating the place where the applicant is detained or confined.

Statements on the application for an absentee ballot must be signed and dated by the voter.

Military Ballots:

A military voter is:

a)    A qualified voter of New York State who:

  1)   Is in actual military service and, by reason of that military service, is absent from the District on the day of registration or election; or

  2)   Is discharged from that military service within 30 days of an election; or  

b)   A spouse, parent, child, or dependent of the previously described voter, accompanying or being with that voter, if a qualified voter of New York State and a resident of the District.

A military voter may designate a preference to receive a military ballot application or a military ballot by mail, fax, or email.  If a military voter does not select a preference, a military ballot application or military ballot will be provided to the military voter by mail.

Three days before the first day for distribution of military ballots, the names of all candidates duly nominated for public office and the amendments, referenda, propositions, and questions to be voted for on the ballots will be determined.  If, at a later date, the nomination of any candidate named on a military ballot is found invalid, the ballot will still be valid, but no vote for the invalid candidate will be counted in the election/vote.

All military ballot applications and military ballots must be returned by mail or in person.  

A list of all persons to whom Early Mail, Absentee and Military Ballots have been issued will be available in the District Clerk’s office five (5) days prior to the day of the election and such list will also be posted at the polling place on the day of the Budget Vote and Election.

HOW TO OBTAIN AN EARLY MAIL,

ABSENTEE OR MILITARY BALLOT APPLICATION

Date applications are available:  Thursday, April 2, 2026

• Call Shannon Emborsky, District Clerk, at 716-778-6850 or send an email to semborsky@newfanecentralschools.org (PREFERRED); OR

• Visit the District Clerk’s office in the Newfane Early Childhood Center (Room 223) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  During school hours, visitors must enter the building at the Newfane Middle School entrance on Transit Road and check in at the Main Office.  Please be prepared to show government issued identification (driver’s license); OR

• For early mail and absentee:  Qualified voters may request a ballot by letter to be received by the District Clerk no earlier than 30 days, and no later than 7 days before the election. The letter must state the voter’s name and address where the voter resides, and to which the ballot and application is to be mailed.  In responding to such a request, the District Clerk must send both an application and a ballot to the voter at the same time. The early mail ballot of any voter requesting a ballot by letter will not be counted unless the completed application, signed by the voter, is received by the District Clerk with the voter's ballot.

If the District Clerk finds the application meets all of the required criteria and is satisfied the applicant is a qualified voter, the Clerk may issue the ballot.  NOTE:  Absentee ballots may be mailed or issued in person only directly to the applicant.  Applicants may not designate another individual to receive the ballot on their behalf.

Information from New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA):

RUNNING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, What all prospective school board members should know

The School Board Member Experience

Members of the Newfane Board of Education are elected to three (3) year, unpaid term.  The Board of Education consists of seven (7) voting members and an Ex Officio Student non-voting member. 

Number of Seats Available:

There will be two seats available for the Board of Education.  The terms of current Board of Education members, Melinda Bower and Santo Tomasine, will expire on June 30, 2026.

Length of Term:

Candidates will be elected to a 3-year term beginning on July 1, 2026 and ending on June 30, 2029.

Qualifications for School Board Membership:

• Must be able to read and write
• Must be a qualified voter in the school district; that is, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, and who is not otherwise prohibited from voting under the provisions of Section 5-106 of the Election Law (not adjudged to be incompetent).
• Must be and have been a resident of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one year immediately before the 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 a current employee of the school board
• May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office

Nominating Petition for School Board Candidates:

Each candidate for Member of the Board of Education will be required to submit a Petition for Nomination of a Candidate for Member of the Board of Education of the Newfane Central School District. Nominating petitions must contain the names of qualified district voters and be signed by two percent (2%) of the number of voters in the last annual election or 25, whichever is greater. A minimum of twenty-five (25) signatures are required for this upcoming election.  Candidates should consider obtaining more than the minimum number of signatures required in the event that a signature(s) are invalidated.

Candidate Name Placement on the Ballot:

Following the last day for filing, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 10 a.m., in the District Office, there will be a drawing by lot conducted by the District Clerk for candidate name placement on the ballot.  Candidates are welcomed to be present and witness the drawing.  All candidates will be notified of the results in writing.

Mandated Trainings for Newly Elected Board of Education Members:

New York State law requires newly-elected school board members to take mandatory training within their first year of service. This training requires topics on the essentials of school board governance and a minimum of six hours in fiscal oversight, accountability and fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member.

HOW TO OBTAIN A SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE PACKET AND NOMINATING PETITION:

Candidate Packets and Nominating Petitions will be available beginning on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

• Call Shannon Emborsky, District Clerk at 716-778-6850 or send an email to semborsky@newfanecentralschools.org (PREFERRED); OR

• Visit the District Clerk’s office in the Newfane Early Childhood Center (Room 223) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  During school hours, visitors must enter the building at the Newfane Middle School entrance on Transit Road and check in at the Main Office.  Please be prepared to show government issued identification (driver’s license).