The Albany School Board member elections moved from the November political cycle to May in sync with the school budget vote. Until the process was questioned, the school district planned to run the election themselves.

But Albany-specific state legislation requires that the Albany County Board of Elections administer the board member election. The school budget vote is run by the school district. Consequently, there will be two separate ballots to be fed into two sets of scanners at each polling site. There will be two separate absentee ballots mailed separately and returned to two different locations.

Less than two months before the vote, there has been no formal announcement from the school district to explain this process to the public. Albany voters deserve better. We need them to try to prevent another chaotic and confusing vote.

Kenneth M. Bruce

Albany