A dispute over the upcoming Finkelstein Memorial Library trustee election has escalated into a legal battle, as candidate Ariel Dahan filed an appeal with the New York State Commissioner of Education along with an emergency request to intervene ahead of the May 12, 2026 vote.
According to filings submitted this week, Dahan is challenging the Library Board of Trustees’ decision to remove one of two previously announced trustee seats from the ballot. The contested seat became vacant following the January 29 resignation of Trustee Goldie Golding . In March, the Board appointed Oluwaseyi Banjo to temporarily fill that vacancy .
However, official election notices issued on March 26 indicated that voters would choose between two seats in the upcoming election, a full five-year term and a four-year unexpired term tied to Golding’s resignation . Dahan and other candidates subsequently filed petitions to run for those positions.
The situation changed on April 21, when the Library informed candidates that only one seat would appear on the ballot, citing a “clarification of language” in the Library Charter . Under that interpretation, the appointee would serve out the remainder of the term without standing for election.
Dahan’s petition argues that the move violates both state law and the Library’s own bylaws. The filing states that under New York Education Law, a person appointed to fill a vacancy in an elective office may serve only until the next election, at which point voters must elect someone to complete the term . The Library’s bylaws similarly state that a vacancy must be filled by election at the next scheduled vote .
In his appeal, Dahan is asking the Commissioner of Education to annul the Board’s decision, restore the second seat to the May 12 ballot, and issue an emergency stay to prevent the election from proceeding under the current structure. In the alternative, he is seeking to delay the election entirely until the matter is resolved .
The filings further argue that removing the seat just weeks before the election disenfranchises voters in the East Ramapo Central School District, which funds and oversees the public library system.
The Finkelstein Memorial Library Board has not publicly responded to the legal challenge as of this writing.
Dahan, a resident of the district, confirmed he is running alongside Moshe Dear in an effort to secure what they say should be two available trustee positions. The election remains scheduled for May 12, pending any action by the State Education Department.
Attached are the full lawsuit filings, including the petition, exhibits, and application for a stay.