NEW YORK STATE – Budget vote deadlines for schools were previously scheduled for Tuesday throughout New York State, but a statement from the governor's office over the weekend has led to confusion on when the deadline will be.

According to legal notices published by Chenango County schools, absentee ballots would have to be received in the District Clerk’s office of each school district by no later than 5 p.m. on June 9.

However on Sunday, June 7, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo reported that school budget ballots will be accepted by hand delivery through 5 p.m. on June 9th and received by mail through June 16th by the school district.

Cuomo’s office cited that two new executive orders had been signed titled S.8130-D and A.10516-A when discussing the changed deadline.

When asked about the potential change in the voting deadline on Monday morning, representatives of school districts in Chenango County, including Oxford and BOCES, expressed confusion over the statement by the Governor, and said that they hadn’t received any information from his office on any executive orders or the deadline extension.

In a statement Cuomo cited the coronavirus as the reason for absentee ballots, and added that the extension would also be applied to elections and primaries.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world, and while we are making great progress and the numbers keep going down, no New Yorker should have to choose between their health and their right to vote," he said. "Extending the deadline to submit absentee ballots builds on our previous Executive Orders to make it easier for New Yorkers to vote absentee in the upcoming primary election and it will help to increase voter participation as we continue to fight this virus."

More information about the deadline for school budget votes will be in tomorrow’s edition of The Evening Sun.