The Annual Budget Vote and Board Election will take place Tuesday, May 20, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Mary E. Dardess Elementary gymnasium. 

The District has two seats up for election on May 20, 2025. The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will fill three-year terms commencing July 1, 2025 and expiring June 30, 2028.:

The seats open for election are:

The expiring term of Muriel Faxon (current incumbent)

The expiring term of Fred Hutchinson (Rachel Galvin incumbent)

Candidate Petitions

Nominating petitions for candidates seeking a seat for the Board of Education will be available starting March 21, 2025 in the office of the District Clerk. Candidates must submit their completed petitions no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21, 2025.

Drawing for Order of Names on Ballot

A drawing will be used to determine the order of names to be placed on the ballot. The drawing will be held Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. in the office of the District Clerk. Candidates are welcome to observe.

Board of Education Candidate qualifications

In order to run for the Board of Education, you must:

• Be a qualified voter of the District

• Be able to read and write

• Be and have been a resident of the District for a continuous and uninterrupted period of a least one 

   year. 

• Not be employed by the board on which you will serve or live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the same school board.

To be eligible to vote you must be:

• A citizen of the United States 18 years of age or older

• A resident of the Chatham Central School District for a period of 30 days or more directly preceding the date of the vote

• Registered to vote with either the School District or the Columbia County Board of Elections

April 30, 2025 from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. MED Lobby
May 14, 2025 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. MED Lobby

Voters who wish to vote early by mail may submit an application to vote by mail-in ballot.

Voters who are unable to vote in person on May 20, 2025 may submit an application to vote by absentee ballot.

Applications for early voting/absentee ballots will be available starting Friday, April 25 from the District Clerk in the Superintendent’s Office. The last day to submit an application for an early voting/absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 13 if the applicant wishes to receive the ballot by mail, or Monday, May 19 if the applicant wishes to receive the ballot in person.

Early voting/absentee ballots must be returned to the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the vote, Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

For more information, contact Deborah Pottenburgh, District Clerk, at 518-392-1501 or pottenburghd@chatham.k12.ny.us.

Information about our 2025-26 school budget proposal is available on our Budget Information page.