4 LI School Districts To Hold Vote Early Due To Jewish Holiday

LONG ISLAND, NY — Four Long Island school districts will hold their budget and election votes on Tuesday to avoid a conflict with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

The Great Neck, West Hempstead, Hewlett-Woodmere, and Lawrence school districts were granted permission from the state to hold the elections one week early, so observers of the holiday could fulfill their obligations and mark the special day.

Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Israelites on Mount Sinai, will be observed from sundown May 16 to sundown on May 18.

In Great Neck, voters will decide whether to approve a $252 million spending plan, representing a roughly two % property tax increase. There are two candidates, including incumbent school board president Barbara Berkowitz who faces challenge for her nine-year term by Michael S. Glickman. For the second seat, Grant Toch is running unopposed.

The vote will be held from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at various locations in the district. To check for your polling place, go to www.GREATNECK.k.12.ny.us/votin...

West Hempstead voters will decide on a $69 million budget, a 5.72 % increase over last year’s budget. Three candidates are running for two seats on the Board of Education. Incumbent Andrea Shinsato will be challenged by Barbara Hefner for a three-year term, and Kurt Rockensies is running unopposed for a three-year term.

Also on the ballot is a proposition to approve the library’s $4 million budget, and incumbent library trustee Own Rumelt is running unopposed.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In Hewlett-Woodmere, voters will decide on a $129 million spending plan with a 1.95% increase over last year’s budget. Five seats, including three three-year terms, one two-year term, and one one-year terms, are up for election.

Incumbents, board President Debra Sheinin and Trustee Judy Menashe, are two of seven candidates running on Tuesday, according to liherald.com. The five other candidates include former trustee Dr. Jon Altus, Shari Amitrano, Francois Tenenbaum, Dr.Tatyana Kopp, and Ramsha Ansari, according to the outlet.

An additional seat for public library trustee is up for election.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lawrence voters will decide on a $102 million spending plan, as well as a propositions to approve a $3 million budget for the Peninsula Public Library, a $5 million building capital reserve fund for capital improvements, and the $400,000 purchase of land in Inwood to enlarge a playground area.

Also on the ballot are two five-year trustee posts.

One library trustee post is also up for election. Incumbent Trustee Jeff Leb is not seeking a second term, so whoever has the most write-in votes will win the board seat, liherald.com reported.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The rest of Long Island’s school district voters will head to the polls next Tuesday.