The Camden Central School District has conducted the vote on its 2024-25 proposed budget and Board of Education Elections, along with an additional proposition regarding transportation authorization. The following are the results of the election.

Budget Vote
In the matter of the Proposition regarding the authorization to expend an amount not to exceed $59,829,761 for general purposes, the voting was as follows:

YES: 1,219
NO: 371
Result: The proposition has been adopted.

Proposition II
In the matter of the Proposition regarding the authorization to transport students residing in the District from greater than the maximum distance required by Education Law § 3635(a). Specifically to transport students who reside in the District up to 28 miles from their school of enrollment, the voting was as follows:

YES: 1,121
NO: 469
Result: The proposition has been adopted.

Board of Education Election
In the matter of electing a Board Member to fill the two at-large vacancies seats on the Board of Education, the voting was as follows:

Randi Swancott: 1,031 votes
Thomas Fanning: 983 votes
Lindsey Burdick: 614 votes
Scott Piersall-Leuenberger: 562 votes

Result: Randi Swancott and Thomas Fanning have been elected to three-year terms on the Camden Central School District Board of Education.

The Camden Central School District's vote on the 2025-2026 proposed budget and Board of Education elections will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 in the Camden High School Auditorium Lobby. Polling hours for that day will be from Noon to 9 p.m. To vote, you must meet the following requirements as a qualified voter.

A qualified voter is one who is:
(1) a citizen of the United States of America,
(2) eighteen years of age or older,
(3) resident within the School District for a period of thirty (30) days preceding the annual vote and election, and
4) not otherwise disqualified to vote by applicable law.

The School District may require that all persons offering to vote at the budget vote and election provide one form of proof of residency pursuant to Education Law Section 2018-c. Such form may include a driver’s license, a non-driver’s identification card, a utility bill, or a voter registration card. Upon offer of proof of residency, the School District may also require that all persons offering to vote provide their signature, printed name and address.

Apartment dwellers who meet these qualifications are eligible. No prior registration is required and residents do not have to be registered voters. (Education Law § 2012)

I. Proposition No. 1: To vote upon the Budget for the 2025-2026 school year. 
"Shall the Board of Education of the Camden Central School District be authorized to appropriate and expend an amount not to exceed TBD for general purposes for the school year 2025-2026, and to levy a tax on the taxable real property of the school district as provided by law?"

II. Proposition No. 2: To vote on the election of Board of Education members as follows: Elect two members to the Board of Education of the Camden Central School District for  “at-large” vacancies for two seats whose current terms expire on June 30, 2025. The two candidates receiving the most votes will receive three-year terms on the Board, beginning in July 2025 and concluding on June 30, 2026.

You may select up to two (2) candidates for “at-large" vacancies. The following candidates have satisfied the requirements to appear on the ballot, and are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot on May 20, 2025. In addition, space for write-in candidates will be provided to each voter if they wish to utilize it. TBD

Qualified voters of the District may obtain applications for absentee ballot or early voting ballot from the office of the Clerk of the School District. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. prevailing time, on May 19, 2025, and must be received no later than 5:00 P.M., prevailing time, on May 13, 2025 if the absentee or early voting ballot is to be mailed to the voter. Completed applications received after 5:00 P.M. on May 13, 2025, will require the voter to personally appear at the office of the Clerk of the School District to receive an absentee or early voting ballot. A listing of all persons to whom an absentee or early voting ballot is issued will be available for inspection by any qualified voter during regular business hours in the office of the Clerk of the School District during each of the five business days prior to the election.

Important Dates:

• Application is available for pickup: April 7

• First day Clerk may receive an application: April 20

• Window to receive ballot via mail: April 20- May 13

• Last day Clerk may mail a ballot: May 14

• Last day Clerk may receive an application: May 19

• Completed Ballot due to Clerk by: May 20 at 5p.m.

Thank you for your interest. The Camden Central School District Board of Education currently consists of seven members, all of whom are volunteers. The Board of Education will have two vacancies available for three-year terms in the upcoming May 2025 election. All Board of Education seats are considered “at-large” positions; therefore the any nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy on the Board.

The following link has information from the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA).  The article includes responsibilities and characteristics of a board member, information on eligibility requirements, nominating petitions, campaigning, training, and more.

For information click here:  NYSSBA’s School Board Member Experience

According to Education Law, a Board of Education member of the Camden Central School District must meet the following qualifications:

• Must be able to read and write (§ 2102).

• Must be a qualified voter of the district; that is, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent (§§ 2102, 2012, 2502(7); Elec. Law § 5-106(6)).

• Must be and have been a resident (but need not be a taxpayer) of the district for a continuous and uninterrupted period of at least one (1) year immediately before the election (§§ 2102, 2502(7), (9)(d)).

• May not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year (§ 2103(2)).

• May not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family (§ 2103(3)).  (That is, the only Camden CSD board member in a household.)

• May not be a current employee of the school board (§ 2103(4)).  (That is, an employee of Camden CSD.)

• May not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office.

To be listed on the ballot, candidates must fulfill the petition requirements.

Petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education are available from the office of the Clerk of the School District between the hours of 7:30 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. on Monday through Friday. Each petition must be directed to the Clerk of the District, shall be signed by at least twenty-five qualified voters or two percent of the number of those who voted in the previous annual election, whichever number is greater. of the District, shall state the residence of each signer, and shall state the name and residence of the candidate. Petitions must be received by the District Clerk no later than April 21, 2025 between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.

Reminder: All positions are “at-large” positions; therefore the nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy on the Board.

Once the petition is filed, the next step is to gather support. State law requires all candidates for election to a board of education to file a sworn statement with the district clerk disclosing both their campaign expenses and contributions received. Statements must be filed at three different times during the election period. If contributions received or expenditures made by the candidate or by the candidate plus others on the candidate’s behalf exceed $500, a statement also should be filed with the commissioner of education. Expenditures of not more than $25 may be made without the candidate’s permission if the donor or donors file a sworn statement with the clerk and the commissioner stating that the candidate did not approve the expenditure.

The expenditure and contribution statement prepared for the Commissioner of Education should be mailed to:

Commissioner of Education
c/o Educational Management Services
89 Washington Avenue, 1075 EBA
Albany, NY 12234