Absentee ballot packets in mail Monday, June 1
Despite the fact that BH-BL election officials were assured that they had exceeded all necessary timelines, the district was informed this morning by NTS Data, the state-wide vendor it was using to print, label and mail absentee ballot packets to qualified voters, that they are experiencing a delay in delivering ballot packets due to a shortage of envelopes. The vendor likened it to shortages of toilet paper and hand sanitizer when the COVID-19 pandemic first began.
In order to ensure that our residents receive the ballots with enough time to mail them back to the district, BH-BL has enacted contingency plans and is working with the Schenectady County Board of Elections and a local printer to expedite printing and mailing the ballots. We are working with all necessary parties over the weekend to deliver absentee ballot packets to the post office on Monday, June 1. This will give qualified voters enough time to complete the ballot and put the pre-paid envelope in the US mail in time for delivery to BH-BL by the 5 p.m. deadline on June 9. Alternatively, voters can drop off ballots at any elementary school or at the district office during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday). Ballots will also be accepted at all locations up until 5 p.m. on June 9. (The middle school campus is currently closed due to construction and will not be accepting ballots.)
At the bottom of this page, voters can view a sample of the portion of the ballot that needs to be filled out so that they are prepared to mark and submit the ballot in the postage paid envelope as soon as they receive it. Also below is an image of the back of the prepaid envelope and the highlighted section that must be filled in. Please do not forget to sign the back of the envelope. By law, return envelopes that are not signed by the voter can not be counted.
Please note: As part of our contingency plan Schenectady County Board of Elections is providing the district with envelopes from its stock. This means BH-BL qualified voters will be receiving the 2020-21 BH-BL Budget Vote and Board of Education election ballot in an envelope from the Schenectady County Board of Elections that contains the official ballot and postage-paid return envelope.
Absentee Ballot
Back of Return Envelope
