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RESOLUTION FOR MARCH 18, 2026 VILLAGE ELECTIONS

↑Meetings/Resolutions/43-2025
One-time (complete)formal_resolutionone_timeThe Board establishes that Village Elections will be held on March 18, 2026 at Village Hall from 12:00 noon to 9:00 pm, appoints election inspectors and personnel, sets compensation at $16.00 per hour, and confirms use of the County's Registered Voter List.
First seen
2025-11-13
Latest event
2025-11-13
adopted
Expires
—

Resolution text

RESOLVED

  1. the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook hereby approves said Resolution.
Show preamble — 7 WHEREAS clauses
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15-104(1) (b) and Section 15-104(3)(b) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook will hold Village Elections on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 with the Polling Location being at the Village Hall, 7467 South Broadway, Red Hook NY between the hours of 12:00 noon and 9:00 pm
  • WHEREAS, on November 10, 2025 the Village Election was published by a Legal Notice in the local newspaper advising of Two (2) Trustee positions to fill single years of vacated terms (term of offices end April 5th, 2027)
  • WHEREAS, per Election Law Section 15-116(1) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to appoint two (2) Election Inspectors for Village Elections and hereby appoints the following persons as Election Inspectors for the Village Election: Ellen Triebwasser, Chairperson and Steve Zacharzuk
  • WHEREAS, per Election Law Section 15-116 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to appoint an Alternate Election Inspector and hereby appoints the following person as Alternate Election Inspector: Lori Urbin
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to give a compensation to Election Inspectors and hereby agrees to compensate at the rate of $16.00 per hour to each election inspector for hours worked during Village Election
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook hereby appoints Jennifer Cavanaugh, Village Clerk, as the person to read the results of the Village Election
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15-118(4) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is required to notify that the Village of Red Hook utilizes the Registered Voter's List from the County of Dutchess Board of Elections and does not hold a separate registration day

Legal analysisissues for consideration

Computer-generated analysis using NY State statutes and OSC guidance. Not legal advice. Frames concerns as questions, not pronouncements. Trustees and counsel make the call.

Resolution 43-2025 is a routine election-administration resolution that appears to follow the general structure required by Election Law Article 15. The principal areas warranting counsel review are: (1) confirming that the specific Election Law subsections cited (§15-104(1)(b), (3)(b); §15-116(1); §15-118(4)) support each action taken, including the Wednesday date, the noon-to-9 pm hours, and the inspector appointment and compensation structure; (2) verifying that a budget appropriation exists for inspector compensation; and (3) considering whether the single bare RESOLVED clause adequately memorializes the specific appointments and operational decisions recited in the WHEREAS clauses. No OSC guidance issues are implicated by this election-administration action.
mediumStatute
The resolution cites Election Law §15-104(1)(b) and §15-104(3)(b) as authority for the March 18, 2026 election date — consider whether counsel has confirmed these subsections specifically authorize a Wednesday mid-March election date and the 12 noon–9 pm polling hours for a village of Red Hook's classification.
Election Law §15-104 governs village election dates and polling hours. The resolution correctly invokes this section, but the specific subsections cited — (1)(b) and (3)(b) — should be verified against the current statutory text to confirm that a Wednesday date and a 9-hour polling window (noon to 9 pm) are both permissible for an incorporated village of this type. The corpus provided does not include the text of Election Law §15-104; counsel should pull the current version and confirm the cited subsections match the action taken.
NY Election Law §15-104 · source ↗
mediumStatute
The resolution appoints two Election Inspectors and one Alternate Inspector under Election Law §15-116(1) — consider whether the number of inspectors and the appointment procedure comply with the full requirements of that section, including any oath or training requirements.
Election Law §15-116(1) authorizes the Board to appoint two election inspectors for village elections; the resolution follows that structure. However, §15-116 may also impose requirements regarding inspectors' qualifications, oath of office, or party affiliation balance that are not addressed in the resolution text. The corpus does not contain the full text of §15-116; counsel should confirm that the three named individuals (Ellen Triebwasser, Steve Zacharzuk, and Lori Urbin) satisfy all statutory eligibility conditions and that any required oath administration is planned.
NY Election Law §15-116 · source ↗
mediumStatute
The resolution sets inspector compensation at $16.00 per hour under 'Election Law Section 15' without citing a specific subsection — consider whether that rate satisfies any statutory minimum or requires a separate appropriation.
The WHEREAS clause references 'Election Law Section 15' generically rather than a specific subsection governing inspector compensation. Election Law §15-116 or a related provision likely specifies the mechanism by which compensation is set; if there is a statutory minimum hourly rate, $16.00 should be verified against it. Separately, the resolution does not reference a specific budget line or appropriation for this expenditure, which may be a best-practice gap. Counsel should confirm the specific subsection authorizing the rate and that funds have been appropriated in the current or upcoming budget.
NY Election Law §15-116 · source ↗
GML §51 · source ↗
lowStatute
The second WHEREAS clause states that legal notice of the election was published on November 10, 2025, advising of two trustee positions filling 'single years of vacated terms' — consider whether the notice content and timing satisfy all Election Law publication requirements and accurately describe the term lengths.
Election Law §15-104 and related provisions may specify minimum advance notice periods and required content for election notices. The resolution states notice was published on November 10, 2025 for a March 18, 2026 election — approximately 128 days in advance — which appears likely sufficient, but the specific content requirements (description of offices, term lengths, petition deadlines) should be verified. The phrase 'single years of vacated terms (term of offices end April 5th, 2027)' should also be reconciled with Village Law §3-304 and any prior board action that created the vacancies, to confirm the term descriptions are accurate.
NY Election Law §15-104 · source ↗
VIL §3-304 · source ↗
“If the number of trustees be reduced, no trustees shall be elected, other than to fill an unexpired term, until by expiration of terms of office the number of trustees in office shall equal that prescribed by such resolution.”
lowStatute
The resolution notifies use of the Dutchess County Registered Voter List under Election Law §15-118(4) — consider whether this notification satisfies the full procedural requirements of that subsection, including any required notice to the County Board of Elections.
Election Law §15-118(4) requires villages that use the county registered voter list (rather than holding a separate registration day) to provide notification. The resolution recites this requirement and confirms the Village's practice. However, the corpus does not include the full text of §15-118(4); counsel should confirm whether the notification must be made to the county, to the public, or both, and whether this board resolution constitutes sufficient notice or whether a separate written notice to the Dutchess County Board of Elections is also required.
NY Election Law §15-118(4) · source ↗
lowProcedure
The single RESOLVED clause states only that 'the Board of Trustees hereby approves said Resolution' — consider whether this operative clause adequately memorializes the specific actions taken (appointing named individuals, setting compensation, establishing polling location and hours).
Best practice for board resolutions is that the RESOLVED clause(s) affirmatively state each operative action — appointment of each named inspector, the compensation rate, the polling location and hours — rather than incorporating them by reference to the WHEREAS recitals. A bare 'approves said Resolution' RESOLVED clause may create ambiguity if the resolution is later referenced in litigation or audit. Consider whether a more specific RESOLVED clause (or multiple clauses) would better serve the record.
lowProcedure
The resolution appoints the Village Clerk (Jennifer Cavanaugh) to read election results — consider whether this dual role as both Clerk (responsible for election administration) and result-reader raises any independence or conflict concerns under Election Law.
The Village Clerk typically has administrative responsibilities related to village elections, and Election Law §15 appears to authorize this appointment. However, having the same individual serve in both an administrative and a tabulation/announcement role could raise questions about checks and balances in the election process. This is a low-level procedural observation; counsel and the Board may wish to confirm that no Election Law provision requires the result-reader to be independent of the Clerk's office.
NY Election Law §15 · source ↗
Analysis provenance
Prompt
legal_analysis_v1
Model
claude-sonnet-4-6
Generated
2026-04-29T10:22:39+00:00
Prompt hash
4f6e213e9ad0c54f
Corpus hash
add22d4dd34c41d2 (950 entries)

Document references

Cites or incorporates
Cited by

Lifecycle (1 event)

2025-11-13adoptedvote: unanimous
Approve Resolution #43-2025 establishing procedures and appointments for the March 18, 2026 Village Elections.
moved by Kjarval · seconded by Smith
Show text snapshot for this event
Resolved
  1. the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook hereby approves said Resolution.
Whereas
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15-104(1) (b) and Section 15-104(3)(b) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook will hold Village Elections on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 with the Polling Location being at the Village Hall, 7467 South Broadway, Red Hook NY between the hours of 12:00 noon and 9:00 pm
  • WHEREAS, on November 10, 2025 the Village Election was published by a Legal Notice in the local newspaper advising of Two (2) Trustee positions to fill single years of vacated terms (term of offices end April 5th, 2027)
  • WHEREAS, per Election Law Section 15-116(1) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to appoint two (2) Election Inspectors for Village Elections and hereby appoints the following persons as Election Inspectors for the Village Election: Ellen Triebwasser, Chairperson and Steve Zacharzuk
  • WHEREAS, per Election Law Section 15-116 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to appoint an Alternate Election Inspector and hereby appoints the following person as Alternate Election Inspector: Lori Urbin
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is authorized to give a compensation to Election Inspectors and hereby agrees to compensate at the rate of $16.00 per hour to each election inspector for hours worked during Village Election
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15 the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook hereby appoints Jennifer Cavanaugh, Village Clerk, as the person to read the results of the Village Election
  • WHEREAS, as per Election Law Section 15-118(4) the Board of Trustees of the Village of Red Hook is required to notify that the Village of Red Hook utilizes the Registered Voter's List from the County of Dutchess Board of Elections and does not hold a separate registration day
Subject key: march_2026_village_election