Voter Information

Eligibility

To be eligible to vote, you must be:

• a citizen of the U.S.
• at least 18 years of age
• a legal resident of the district at least 30 days prior to the vote
• registered to vote in the general electionor at a previous district special registration

Registration

If you are not a registered voter for the general election through the county, you may register specifically with the Hornell City School District for school votes only by contacting the District Clerk by phone at 607-324-1302 x1450 or my mail at 120 Raider Rd, Hornell, NY 14843.  

Absentee Ballot

The process for absentee ballots, in accordance with section 2018-a of Education Law: Applications for absentee ballots are available from the District Clerk for any individual who is unable to vote in person on the date of the election because:

     a. he is a patient in a hospital or unable to appear because of illness or physical disability on such day;
     b. his duties, occupation or business will require him to be outside the county or city of his residence on such day;
     c. he will be on vacation outside the county or city of his residence on such day;
     d. he is detained in jail awaiting action to a grand jury or awaiting trial or is confined in prison after conviction for an offense other than a felony.

Applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally by the voter. Absentee ballots are automatically mailed to all those individuals who are registered as “absentee voters” with the County Board of Elections. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued shall be available for public inspection in the office of the District Clerk during regular office hours on each of the five days prior to the day of the vote (excluding Saturday and Sunday), and such list shall also be posted conspicuously at the place of voting.

An absentee ballot must reach the office of the District Clerk not later than 5:00 PM on the day of such annual meeting.

Early Main Ballots

New York State has recently signed into law provisions for voting early by mail. An application will be required to receive ballots early to vote in this manner. Applications can be requested or picked up in the office of the District Clerk, 120 Raider Road, Hornell, NY. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk at least seven days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally by the voter. Ballots must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 PM on the day of the vote.

Military Ballots

Military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the school district by requesting and returning a military voter registration application to the District Clerk. Completed military voter registration application forms must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the Board of Registration is set to meet. Because the Board of Registration is meeting on May 3, 2024 military voter registration applications must be received on May 2, 2024. A military voter may indicate his or her preference for receiving the registration application by mail, facsimile transmission, or electronic mail.

Military voters who are registered voters of the School District may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the District Clerk. For a military voter to be issued a military ballot, the District Clerk must have received a valid ballot application no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 6, 2024 (15 days prior to the vote). In a request for a military ballot application or ballot, the military voter may indicate his or her preference for receiving the application or ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail.

NYS School Tax Relief (STAR)

New York State’s School Tax Relief Program, also known as STAR, provides partial school property tax savings to eligible homeowners. Most New Yorkers who own and live in their homes are eligible for STAR savings on their primary residences. Because the STAR program is not a district program, a taxpayer’s STAR savings are not factored into a school budget.

Whether you receive the STAR exemption or the credit, there are two types of STAR benefits:

Basic STAR

• Available for owner-occupied, primary residences;
• The income limit for the Basic STAR credit is $500,000 (the income limit for the Basic STAR exemption is $250,000);
• Based on the first $30,000 of the full value of a home

Enhanced STAR

• Provides an increased benefit for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with qualifying incomes:
  • $93,200 or less for the 2023-2024 school year
  • $98,700 or less for the 2024-2025 school year
• Based on the first $81,400 of the full value of a home for the 2023-2024 school year.

The STAR benefit applies only to school district taxes. It doesn’t apply to county, town, or city taxes, except in the cities of New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse.  In those five cities, the exemption is applied partly to city taxes and partly to school taxes.

Note: Senior citizens receiving STAR may also be eligible for the senior citizens exemption. See New York State Department of Taxation and Finance’s Senior Citizens Exemption page to learn more.

Resources

Access resources from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance:

• Register for STAR
• Learn about STAR eligibility
• View Questions and answers for homeowners
• Read STAR privacy notification
• Access a handout for new homeowners
• Learn how to report your STAR credit