Syosset Central School District board declares district election results valid, schedules canvass of late ballots

The Syosset Central School District Board of Education approved a resolution to declare the district’s May election results valid and designated a meeting to canvass any updated ballots on Wednesday, May 22 at 9:00 a.m. at Southwoods Middle School.

The vote totals were read into the record by Doctor Rogers (introduced on the record before the tabulation). Doctor Rogers read that the school budget proposition received 2,864 yes votes and 941 no votes and that the library proposition received 2,850 yes votes and 880 no votes. He also read the reported totals for board candidates and library trustee candidates as listed in the tabulation.

"The proposition on the school budget, yes votes, 2864. No votes, 941," Doctor Rogers said while reading the canvass. The transcript records the board candidates' totals as follows (as read in the tabulation): Lisa (as listed) 3,719; Brian Greco 3,753; Johnny/Shawnee Park 3,676; Carissa (as listed) 414. For the Syosset Public Library candidates the tabulation as read lists Antonella D'Agostino 2,528 and Aileen (as listed) 2,332. The article reports the names and totals exactly as they were read; the transcript contains inconsistent spellings for several candidate names, which are noted in clarifying details below.

Before the tabulation was read, a staff member noted that Nassau County is under a consent decree requiring municipalities in the county to conduct elections in both English and Spanish and said the results would be read in English and then in Spanish to comply.

Following the reading, the board considered and adopted a resolution declaring the results valid "pursuant to section 20347 of the Education Law," as stated in the meeting text. The resolution also designated the district board and clerk to cast and canvass any ballots received later under "section 2019-a" of the Education Law and scheduled a canvass meeting for May 22 at 9:00 a.m. in the Board room at Southwoods Middle School.

The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Doctor Park and seconded by Miss Leggettstown; the transcript records a voice vote with members responding "Aye." The transcript does not include a roll-call vote tally or recorded opposing votes in the audio/text provided.

Next steps: the Board will meet on May 22 at 9:00 a.m. for the canvass of any updated ballots; the tabulation as read will remain subject to that canvass. Any formal changes resulting from that canvass will be reflected in the official canvass minutes.