State considers school election flexibility amid disasters

New York state lawmakers are considering a bill that would give school districts more flexibility over their elections if a disaster diminished voter turnout. 

The legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday, allows the state Education Department to grant districts an additional day of voting if less than 8 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot due to a disaster. 

In government elections, state law permits county and state boards of elections to authorize an additional day of voting if a disaster significantly undermines turnout. 

Following the committee meeting at the state Capitol in Albany, state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa told WCNY’s “The Capitol Pressroom” that the measure would promote safety for voters, honor the electoral process, and is a good collaboration between local and state education leaders. 

The New York State School Boards Association noted in a memorandum of support that a 2018 windstorm in the Beacon Central School District knocked down power lines and trees, which prevented some residents from voting on Election Day.   

“Such an occurrence is more likely to occur as destructive storms become more common due to climate change,” the association wrote in its memo. “This legislation provides a common-sense solution to the potential sudden disenfranchisement of voters in school board elections and budget votes due to disasters.”

The measure is also supported by the New York State Council of Superintendents and was approved in 2024 by the state Senate, with the bill moving through the Senate Education Committee earlier this year. 

J.T. Stone is a senior studying journalism at the University at Albany. He previously interned with WAMC Northeast Public Radio and Spotlight News covering New York’s capital region.