School board petitions are due April 18

FINGER LAKES--Those interested in running for available seats on their local school boards only have a few weeks left to get on the ballot. Petitions nominating candidates for a board of education must be filed with the respective district clerk no later than April 18. This is to ensure the candidates are listed on the ballot for the upcoming school elections Tuesday, May 17, with voting beginning at noon. This election is for both the school board and for the 2016-17 annual budget, as well as any additional propositions districts have for voters.
Each petition must be signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the district to be on the ballot in May. Each petition must also state the residence of each candidate and be filed no later than 5 p.m. April 18.
In Dundee, there will be three seats up for election on the school board. These seats are currently held by President James Koehler, Kristen VanValkenburg and Paul Brown. In Penn Yan, seats held by Jeff Morehouse, Kathy Guenther and Phyllis Record will be voted on by district residents. In Hammondsport, Dennis Carlson's seat will be the only one up for election this year.
In Schuyler County, the Watkins Glen Central School District has two school board seats available. These seats are held by Kristin Hazlitt and Mark Franzese. In Odessa-Montour, the seats currently held by Scott Westervelt and Robert Tuttle will be up for election.