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New online nominations process for 2020

 

Online and paper-based options

Members will have more options for participating in the nominations process and the voting process. Members have previously had the option to vote online, by mail or by phone; this year, we are adding an online option for the nominations process.

As in years past, members can still nominate someone for the board and vote using paper forms.

Nominations Process (New online option this year)

All active members who are eligible to vote this year will receive log in credentials from YesElections (a professional election company) by email, along with instructions for how to nominate themselves or another member. Active members with no email on file with the City will receive a paper letter. Retired members who are eligible to vote will receive a paper nomination form and instructions for online nomination from YesElections.

Active and retired members will each have access to an online nominations platform. Instructions for accessing the online platform will be sent from YesElections. The Retirement Fund website will also include a link to the YesElections online platform.

Active Employees
In order to be nominated for Places 1, 2, 3, or 4, active employees must obtain at least 75 signatures of employees from the department/group they wish to represent. Temporary employees’ signatures do not count toward the 75 needed. Active employees have two options for collecting petition signatures.

  • Online option – Active employees access the nomination platform through the Retirement Fund website or through instructions from YesElections. An employee who would like to run for the board can complete a self-nomination form, and an online petition for this employee’s name will be added to a list of nominees on the site. All eligible active employees can access the site throughout the nomination period to add their virtual signatures to the petitions of any nominees they wish to support. Nominees can access the site throughout the nominations period as well, to view their petition. Eligible employees may sign as many nomination petitions as they like. They can return to the site any time during the nomination process to add their signature to additional nomination petitions.
  • Paper option - An active employee who would like to run for the board downloads a petition form on the Retirement Fund website, fills it out, and collects signatures of other employees in their department/group. The form must be turned in to the Retirement Fund by the nomination deadline.

Nominees can use the paper method, the online method, or both. The number of signatures combined, from the online and paper methods, must be at least 75.

Retirees
In order to be nominated for Places 5, 6, or 7, a retiree must receive at least 25 nominations from retirees from their employee group. Retirees have two options for collecting petition signatures.

  • Online option – Retirees access the nomination platform through the Retirement Fund website or through instructions from YesElections. These instructions will include log in credentials to access the platform. Once on the site, retirees will use a search tool to select the name of the person they would like to nominate. If there is more than one person by the same name, the retirement date will also be visible. Once the intended person is selected, the retiree will be asked to apply an electronic signature and submit the form to complete the nomination.
  • Paper option - A paper nomination form will be mailed to the retirees in the specific group(s) eligible to vote in the election (Place 6 in even-numbered years, or Places 5 and 7 in odd-numbered years). A member fills out the form with the nominee of their choice and returns it by the deadline. A return envelope is included in the nominations mailing.

Elections Process
All active employees and retirees who are eligible to vote will receive a ballot in the mail from YesElections along with instructions for each voting method. Members can vote one of three ways: via phone, mail, or online. Instructions are specified on the ballot, which also includes a unique code and PIN for each voter (to avoid duplication of votes). All votes must be registered by the date noted on the ballot and specified by the Retirement Fund.

Elections results are delivered to the Fund’s Executive Director and will be approved by the Board of Trustees at their regular monthly meeting.