The New York State School Boards Association is urging candidates for their local boards of education not to go door-to-door in order to collect signatures on their petitions to get on the ballot for school board elections this May.

“At this point in time, public health is the paramount concern,” said NYSSBA Executive Director Robert S. Schneider. “All school board candidates, and especially those who are at highest risk to contract the coronavirus, would be putting themselves in harm’s way by going door-to-door collecting signatures on their petitions in the midst of a pandemic. Likewise, they would also be putting community members at risk.”

We recognize that, at the current time, school board elections and budget votes are still scheduled to occur on May 19; however, we are working diligently with the State Education Department and the governor’s office to move both school board elections and the school budget votes to a later date, or find some other alternative for this year.

“We urge those seeking a seat on their local school board to follow the guidelines, including those for social distancing, put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Health, as well the governor’s Executive Orders,” said Schneider.