Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I,Ref-Schoharie) is calling on the governor to allow ballots postmarked by June 9 to be accepted for local school elections, rather than requiring that they arrive at schools by that day. Multiple school districts have been facing an envelope shortage that has prevented them from getting ballots to voters in a timely manner following a mandate from the governor restricting voting to mail-in only.

“This is a simple solution to a problem that has the potential to derail a very important election during a time already filled with uncertainty,” said Tague. “Our process relies upon everybody eligible to vote being able to do so, and it would give people a much greater window of time to receive and send out their envelopes if they don’t need to worry about the ballot making it through the already-strained postal system in time. Everybody deserves to have their voices heard, and this would be a simple way of assuring that happens amid this envelope shortage.”