2023 Board of Education Election

May 16, 2023 voting results:

Marianne Pierro: 352 - elected to three-year term running July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Dawn Friedman: 357 - elected to three-year term running July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Matthew Fisch: 332 - elected to three-year term running July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026

2023 Board of Education Candidates

The Chatham Central School District had three candidates running for three open seats on the Board of Education. The candidates appeared on the ballot in the following order: 

Marianne Pierro

Marianne Pierro

This past year on the Chatham School Board just flew by. The last several months have been busy with the Capital project and a focus on the recovery of educational outcomes for Chatham’s students post pandemic. Between those two objectives, there is still much more work to be done. That is why I am running for the School Board again. This next term I would like to put what I have learned over the last year to good use for our students. Now more than ever I see how special and unique our Chatham community is. To operate effectively, a school board needs to reflect the community it serves. My contribution to the Board is a perspective from a parental point of view, with a business background. I have a son graduating this year and another going into his sophomore year. Both enjoy attending Chatham Central School. These rural schools are the way to go. I would like to do my part to keep it going.

Dawn Friedman

Dawn Friedman

My husband and I are both graduates of Chatham High School. After living out of the area for 16 years, we returned home to raise our family. My three children are currently attending Chatham High School and the MED. I have a Literature degree from SUNY Purchase and am working on completing my Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Clarkson University. As a local Real Estate Broker and volunteer in our community for various youth organizations, I have a unique perspective on the needs of our children and the community. I am running for the Chatham Central School District Board of Education to support the efforts put forth in the years before me and to ensure the school continues to support the community's children so that they may enter the world ready to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

Matthew Fisch

Matthew Fisch

I have spent most of my 40 years in Chatham and am vested with 5 children attending the District. I run the Chatham Coworker as a community project, and am founder of a cybersecurity software company “FortMesa” which is working to protect the privacy and integrity of information systems.  

Over the past four years I have had the opportunity to serve the district as an elected Board Member, the last two years as Board President. This year the Board oversaw enrollment of our first Universal Pre-K class (2023-2024), as well as the capstone of the planning phase for the largest update to school facilities in decades in the form of voter approval.

As a registered independent I consider it my role to facilitate a balanced and coherent vision of district goals and priorities. I look forward to continued oversight of district operations and development of future board initiatives.


Open Seats

There were three Board of Education seats up for election in 2023. The three candidates who received the highest number of votes will fill these 3-year terms:

  • The expiring term of Matthew Fish (current incumbent): the candidate elected to this seat will serve a three-year term:  July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026

  • The expiring term of Patricia Wilson (current incumbent): the candidate elected to this seat will serve a three-year term:  July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026 

  • The expiring term of Marianne Pierro (current incumbent): the candidate elected to this seat will serve a three-year term:  July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026

Voter Qualifications:

To be eligible to vote you must be:

  • A citizen of the United States 18 years of age or older

  • A resident of the Chatham Central School District for a period of 30 days or more directly preceding the date of the vote

  • Registered to vote with either the School District or the Columbia County Board of Elections

Voter Registration

Not registered to vote? You can register to vote with the School District on the following voter registration days:

  • Wednesday, April 26, 2023 between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in the Mary E. Dardess Elementary School lobby

  • Wednesday, May 10, 2023 between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. in the Mary E. Dardess Elementary School lobby

Absentee Ballots

Voters may obtain an absentee ballot upon request if they are unable to vote in-person on May 16.

Applications for absentee ballots may be applied for at the Office of the School District Clerk in the MED Elementary School, starting April 21, 2023. Applications must be received by the District Clerk by 4:00 p.m. on May 9 if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or prior to 4:00 p.m. on May 15 if the ballot will be picked up in-person. All absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk not later than 5:00 p.m. on May 16, 2023.

For more information, contact Deborah Pottenburgh, District Clerk, at 518-392-1501 or pottenburghd@chatham.k12.ny.us.

2023-24 School Budget Vote

Information about our 2023-24 school budget proposal is available on our Budget Information page.