Dear Putnam Valley Community:
To clarify, all public votes conducted by the school district must abide by the strict guidance outlined by New York State Education Law and the Commissioner of Education. Annual budget votes and special votes, like today’s capital project vote, follow the same training, safeguards, and vote-counting processes.
Our priority is to ensure that every voice in our community is heard and counted. To do this, we follow strict protocols.
- All ballots are carefully accounted for and secured throughout the voting process.
- Voters are checked in through an electronic system that confirms the voter is registered in the Putnam Valley School District.
- Ballots are safely secured in locked ballot boxes for the entirety of the day, the keys to open these boxes are securely taped to a table adjacent to the ballot boxes, all in public view and under the watchful eye of election staff.
- Ballots are only counted after the polls close at 9 PM.
- Once the polls close, ballots are electronically scanned, and absentee and early ballots are counted by hand.
- All scanning and counting of ballots are done in view of members of the public in attendance.
We encourage anyone interested to cast a ballot and witness the process firsthand. Please check in with our District Clerk who is on-site in our Elementary School cafeteria and can answer any questions. Entrance doors must be locked at 9 PM when the last voter in the room has voted and will remain locked until all ballots are counted. Members of the public may remain for the ballot count but must arrive prior to 9 PM.
Thank you,
Dr. Jeremy Luft
Superintendent of Schools
