Governor Signs Law Amending Absentee Ballot Provisions For School Elections

April 28, 2021

By: Kate I. Reid and Kristin Warner

On April 26, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed into law a bill relating to absentee ballots for school district elections during a declared disaster emergency. Under the allowable reasons for which a person may request an absentee ballot, this law expands the definition of “illness” to include instances where a voter may not be able to appear at his or her polling place because “there is a risk of contracting or spreading a disease that may cause illness to the voter or to other members of the public.” The Governor had previously issued an Executive Order to this effect, however, the language of the new law is broader in that it is not limited strictly to COVID.

If you have questions about the topics referenced in this memo, please contact Kate Reid, Kristin Warner, any attorney in Bond’s School Law practice or the attorney at the firm with whom you are regularly in contact.