BOE filing appeal to formally update election results; election outcome remains the same

The Monticello Board of Education (BOE) has authorized its legal counsel to file an appeal on the May 17, 2022 budget vote and board election results to ensure the official results reflect all the votes that were cast. 

As part of the New York state school election process, the BOE certifies voting results, which are then entered into public record. During its May 17, 2022 meeting, the Board certified the reported voting results, and those results were entered into the record and released to the public. Shortly after the close of the meeting, a clerical error that miscalculated votes from one particular polling place was discovered and rectified, and the updated, complete and correct results were posted on the Monticello Central School District website that same night. 

The corrected results do not change the outcome of the budget vote and Board of Education election that was certified by the Board on May 17.  The budget was approved by voters, and Victoria LaRusso, Ashley Rielly, and Jennifer Holmes received the most votes in their respective races. 

According to New York State education law, to accept the corrected results and canvass the affidavit ballots, the district must file an appeal with the commissioner of the New York State Education Department. 

“The Board of Education believes that the official record should reflect all the votes that were cast,” Matthew T. Evans, MCSD Superintendent of Schools commented. “This appeal is the legal and transparent way to correct the certified results and as such, we are moving forward to do so.”