It’s Nomination Season: 3 CalPERS Board Seats Up for Election

March 16, 2026

Communications & Stakeholder Relations
Office of Public Affairs
(916) 795-3991 - newsroom@calpers.ca.gov

Seats Represent State, School & Public Agency Members

Sacramento, Calif. – Candidates seeking to run in three upcoming CalPERS Board of Administration elections can now submit their nomination materials.  

Board seats representing state, school, and public agency employees are up for election: 

  • The current state member representative is Theresa Taylor, who will be stepping down after serving in the position since 2015. She is not seeking re-election and will finish her term through January 15, 2027.

  • The current school member representative is Kevin Palkki, who has served in the position since 2023. 

  • The current public agency member representative is Mullissa Willette, who has served in the position since 2022. 

The 13-member CalPERS Board of Administration is responsible for overseeing the approximately $600 billion CalPERS pension fund on behalf of its 2.4 million members and oversees the delivery of health care to 1.5 million public employees, retirees, and their families.

Nomination petitions with required signatures, candidate statements, and nomination acceptance/ballot designation forms are due on May 14 by 5:00 p.m., PT.

All active state, school, and public agency members are eligible to vote in their affiliated election. Voting by mail, by phone, and online will be available to all eligible voting members starting August 28, when ballots will be mailed. Votes must be received by September 28 and ballots will be processed beginning September 29.

The winners will serve four-year terms beginning January 16, 2027, and ending January 15, 2031. For each of these seats, a runoff election may be held later this year if a candidate doesn’t receive the majority of votes cast in the primary election.

Information on the upcoming board elections and resources for members and candidates can be found on the Board Elections page.

The Notices of Election, released today, are available on the Board Elections page under Resources. They provide timelines for the fall 2026 elections, information such as eligibility and nomination requirements for interested candidates, and access to required forms.

About CalPERS

CalPERS is the largest defined-benefit public pension in the U.S., with 2.4 million members. Since 1932, CalPERS has provided retirement security for state, school, and public agency employees who invest their life’s work in public service. In 1962, CalPERS expanded its services to include health benefits and now offers quality health plan coverage for more than 1.5 million members and their families.