N.Y. Education Law § 2018: Nomination of candidates for the office of member of the board of education in all union free school districts or for the office of membe...

§ 2018. Nomination of candidates for the office of member of the board

of education in all union free school districts or for the office of

member of the board of trustees in all common school districts which

have elected to vote for trustees at a time or place separate from the

annual meeting. a. In all union free school districts candidates for the

office of member of the board of education shall be nominated by

petition. Each vacancy upon the board of education to be filled shall be

considered a separate specific office. A separate petition shall be

required to nominate a candidate to each separate office. Each petition

shall be directed to the clerk of the school district, shall be signed

by at least twenty-five qualified voters of the district, or two percent

of the voters who voted in the previous annual election of the members

of the board of education, whichever is greater, such number to be

determined by the number of persons recorded on the poll list as having

voted at such election shall state the residence of each signer, shall

state the name and residence of the candidate and shall describe the

specific vacancy on the board of education for which the candidate is

nominated, which description shall include at least the length of the

term of office and the name of the last incumbent, if any. In the event

that any such nominee shall withdraw his candidacy prior to the

election, such person shall not be considered a candidate unless a new

petition nominating such person in the same manner and within the same

time limitations applicable to other candidates is filed with the clerk

of the district. Each petition shall be filed in the office of the clerk

of the district between the hours of nine a.m. and five p.m., not later

than the thirtieth day preceding the school meeting or election at which

the candidates nominated are to be elected. No person shall be nominated

by petition for more than one separate office.

b. At any school election in such district, the electors may adopt a

proposition providing that, in all subsequent elections, vacancies upon

the board of education shall not be considered separate specific offices

and that the nominating petitions shall not describe any specific

vacancy upon the board of education for which the candidate is

nominated. Such procedure shall be followed with respect to all

nominations and elections in subsequent years until and unless such

proposition is repealed by the electors of the district at a regular

election by the adoption of a proposition to repeal the same.

c. In all common school districts, candidates for the office of member

of the board of trustees shall be nominated by petition. Such petition

shall not describe any specific vacancy on the board of trustees. Each

petition shall be directed to the clerk of the school district and shall

be signed by at least twenty-five qualified voters of the district or

two percent of the voters who voted in the previous annual election of

the members of the board of trustees, whichever is greater. Such a

petition shall state the residence of each signer, and shall contain the

name and residence of the candidate.

d. If a candidate for whom a nominating petition for the office of

member of a board of education has been duly filed withdraws such

petition, dies or becomes otherwise ineligible to hold such office at a

time which is later than fifteen days before the last day for the filing

of nominating petitions as provided in subdivision a of this section,

the time for filing nominating petitions for such office shall be

extended to five p.m. on the fifteenth day after the day on which such

candidate withdrew, died, or otherwise became ineligible to hold such

office, provided that no such nominating petition may be filed after

five p.m. on the seventh day preceding the date of the election.