WE VOTE
IN
 EVERY ELECTION
Tuesday, MAY 17, 2022 
School Board

Thanks to all who expressed their appreciation to us for
highlighting the school board elections

Here’s some useful information
from our Dutchess County Democratic Chair, Julie Shiroishi

Who is a Qualified Voter
“A qualified voter is a person who is a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, and a resident of the school district for at least 30 days prior to the date of the Budget Vote. A qualified voter is not required to be a registered voter”

You do not have to have kids to vote in School Board elections
Students who will be 18 on May 17th can vote,
but need to go to their School District office to register ahead of that date

What if I don’t know who to vote for?
Most school districts host Meet the Candidate nights ahead of the election
Most will also be live-streamed
Check your school district website

While it’s generally better to know who you’re voting for, you can find out who your local teachers union is endorsing–at least this year–and vote for them. Or talk to your local Chair or a tuned-in parent with kids in the district

Where do I vote?
Again, check your school district website
School Board polling sites aren’t always the same as your normal election day polling sites

Can I vote absentee?
Yes. You can pick up an absentee ballot from your local school district office.
School Board elections are run by the district clerk and NOT the Board of Elections

Note to Rhinebeck school board election voters:  

If you need an Absentee Ballot, please download and complete this application form.  The first day an absentee ballot application can be accepted is on April 18, 2022. 
The absentee ballot application needs to be received by May 10, 2022 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter. 
Mail application to: Whitney Druker, District Clerk, Rhinebeck CSD, PO Box 351, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.
On March 28, 2022, Governor Hochul signed into law a bill that renews the amendments to the Education Law relating to absentee ballots through Jan. 1, 2023. This law allows for fear of contracting COVID to be an allowable reason for an absentee ballot.

Thanks to an eblast reader…….
we learned that a school board candidate in Rhinebeck
is canvassing door to door and expressing his objection
to the teaching of Critical Race Theory

Adapted from material distributed by The Brookings Institution: 
“Critical race theory (CRT) has become a new bogeyman for people unwilling to acknowledge our country’s racist history and how it impacts the present. To understand why CRT has become such a flash point in the culture, it is important to understand what it is and what it is not. Opponents fear that CRT admonishes all white people for being oppressors while classifying all Black people as hopelessly oppressed victims. These fears have spurred school boards and state legislatures from Tennessee to Idaho to ban teachings about racism in classrooms. However, there is a fundamental problem: these narratives about CRT are gross exaggerations of the theoretical framework.  CRT does not attribute racism to white people as individuals or even to entire groups of people. Simply put, critical race theory states that U.S. social institutions (e.g., the criminal justice system, education system, labor market, housing market, and healthcare system) are laced with racism embedded in laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that lead to differential outcomes by race.”

We want our children to understand the toxic repercussions of racism, how it came about and how to end it.  We want all children to thrive and become well-informed and fully-engaged citizens. Please do not support or vote for candidates who have problems with Critical Race Theory. They are uninformed and dangerous for our schools, our school boards and our children’s future

In other parts of the county, candidates are discussing book-banning – sponsored by Moms For Liberty, a national organization that is promoting dangerous ideas
PAY ATTENTION PLEASE
Know your candidates
Speak up
These are dangerous trends and we must not allow them to succeed

Remember 34%? That’s the number of Democrats in Dutchess County who voted in the last election. The percentage of voters in School Board Elections is only 10-15%. Let’s get those numbers up and vote for responsible, educated and clear-thinking  people to serve on school boards. Your vote will REALLY count!!

ALL UPCOMING ELECTIONS
School Board on May 17
State and Federal primaries on June 28th
General election on Nov. 8
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for 2022

Hudson Valley Strong News

The HVS Rhinebeck Market Table Returns – May 1, 15 and 29th.
We will be receiving market dates on a month by month basis.
See you at the Market!!
Stop by to sign up to volunteer to support candidates, register to vote,
change your voter registration from NYC to the Hudson Valley or just to say hello!

Hudson Valley Strong 
can now accept DONATIONS
Thanks to all who responded to the launch of our first donor campaign!
Donate HERE
and help us raise awareness about elections, candidates,
the importance of preserving our Democracy and our freedom!

For more information:  Email us HERE

Want to Help?
Fill out the survey and tell us 
what you would like to do to
a. Reelect our Democratic candidates
b. Flip red to blue
c. Save our democracy
VOLUNTEER SURVEY


If you have already taken the survey, THANK YOU!
We will be reaching out shortly to 
enlist your talents!