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2024 ELECTION VOTING INSTRUCTIONS

Fellow COBA Members, 

To ensure we have a fair and efficient election process, we want to make sure that all members understand exactly what is needed to participate in our upcoming elections. Below are the voting instructions. You have an opportunity to look at these early, and reach out to the COBA office if you need any clarity. These will also be included in the mailing with your ballot. You can expect your ballots in the mail soon. Please cast your vote and return it in the pre-paid envelope right away.

2024 ELECTION VOTING INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Mark the ballot next to the name(s) of the candidate(s) of your choice. Do not place your name, initials or any other identifying information on the ballot. Ballots containing any identifying information will be voided. 

2. You may vote for a slate of candidates or for individual candidates, so long as the total number of votes does not exceed the total to be elected. 

3. Partial slate—the slate does not have a candidate for a position: To vote for the partial slate, place a mark in the box below the slate name. When you mark the slate box, you will have voted for all the candidates on that slate. You may then also vote for individual candidates for offices not included in the partial slate, so long as the total number of votes does not exceed the total to be elected to that office. If you vote for more candidates than the number to be elected to any office, your vote for that office will not be counted. 

4. Place your PINK BALLOT in the small white envelope that has the words SECRET BALLOT on the front, and seal the envelope. Put the sealed SECRET BALLOT envelope inside the PINK REPLY ENVELOPE addressed to the American Arbitration Association. 

5. Your name and address have been affixed to the Reply envelope pre-addressed to the American Arbitration Association. Your name on this envelope will identify you as an eligible voter. DO NOT DAMAGE THE CONTROL NUMBER ON THE BALLOT ENVELOPE! It will be used by the American Arbitration Association to sort ballots and determine eligibility at the ballot count. 

Your vote will remain secret because the SECRET BALLOT envelope containing your ballot will be separated from the return ballot envelope and mixed with other SECRET BALLOT envelopes before it is opened and the ballots are counted. ENVELOPES RECEIVED WITH DAMAGED CONTROL NUMBERS OR MISSING VOTER INFORMATION WILL BE VOIDED. 

6. Mail the Reply envelope as soon as possible. No postage is necessary if mailed in the United States. IN ORDER TO BE COUNTED, BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION POST OFFICE BOX VIA U.S. MAIL BY NO LATER THAN 11:00 A.M. THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2024.

LETTER FROM BENNY BOSCIO
President

Welcome to the official website of The Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA). COBA is the second-largest law enforcement union in the City of New York. Our members are New York City Correction Officers, also known as New York City’s Boldest, who supervise the second-largest municipal jail system in the nation. COBA is committed to advocating for safer working conditions, wage increases, and excellent benefits for all our members.

Our website was designed to provide helpful information on the latest issues impacting our members and their families. You can also find our official union publications, news clips, and learn about upcoming events.

FOLLOW US

STATEMENT FROM COBA PRESIDENT BENNY BOSCIO ON THE FEDERAL MONITOR'S SPECIAL REPORT RELEASED ON MAY 26, 2023

“After being appointed nearly 8 yrs ago and receiving some $20 million in consulting fees by NYC taxpayers, the latest Federal Monitor’s biased and one-sided “special report” is no different than the nearly 36 reports that came before it.

If the Monitor is interested in cherry picking data in a two week period, why then does he exclude the brazen assaults on our officers committed by repeat violent offenders in that same period? Or why does he exclude the numbers of inmates whose lives have been saved thanks to Correction Officers? The reality is that the Federal Monitor and his team have strayed very far from their original mission and this new report conveniently excludes key data showing any progress that is being made to combat jail violence, which is largely the result of the dedication and hard work of our officers serving on the frontlines.

These reports now serve only to provide politically-driven talking points for the City Council and the Board of Correction so they can continue to second guess and scapegoat our members, instead of providing oversight over the monitoring team and asking them what have they really accomplished in eight years to make our jails safer? It’s time for the Monitoring team to go!’

Benny Boscio
COBA President