Q. Who Are the Candidates Running in the Member-at-Large Board Election?

A. After the nomination period has closed, information on the candidates running in this year's Member-at-Large Board Election can be found on our Board Elections webpage.

Q. What Are the Eligibility Requirements To Become a Board Member Candidate?

A. Detailed eligibility requirements are set forth in the Notice of Election (PDF). An eligible active CalPERS member may be nominated if the active member is currently employed by a CalPERS-covered agency on or before March 15, 2021, when the Notice of Election was issued. An eligible retired CalPERS member may be nominated if the retired member’s effective date of retirement is on or before March 15, 2021, when the Notice of Election was issued. The retired member also must be a California resident and meet the nomination requirements.

Q. What Are the Nomination Requirements To Become a Board Member Candidate?

A. Detailed nomination requirements are set forth in the Notice of Election (PDF) and nomination petition package. Nomination petition form(s) endorsed with any combination of at least 250 original or non-original signatures of eligible active or retired CalPERS members, as well as a candidate statement (optional), and a completed nomination acceptance/ballot designation form must be submitted. All documents related to nomination requirements can be found on our Board Elections webpage.

Q. How Is a Non-Original Signature Defined?

A. Pursuant to emergency regulations adopted for the 2021 Member-at-Large Board Election, a non-original signature is defined as “an original signature on a nomination petition form that has been reproduced or scanned into an electronic format for electronic transmission including by email or facsimile”.

Nomination petition forms must contain an original signature made directly on the form; typed signatures or electronic images of signatures that are copied and pasted into the signature block of the nomination petition are not acceptable. Completed nomination petition forms containing original signatures submitted electronically by email will be accepted if they are in a format that is easily accessible to CalPERS such as a JPEG, BMP, PNG, or PDF.

Q. When Does the New Term of Office Begin?

A. The new term of office begins on January 16, 2022 and runs through January 15, 2026.

Q. Where Can I Find the Election Schedule?

A. The election schedule can be found on the Notice of Election (PDF) that was mailed to retired members and circulated electronically through CalPERS employers on March 15, 2021. You can view a copy of the Notice of Election on our Board Elections webpage.

Q. How Do I Find Out More About the Candidates Running in the Election?

A. Written and video recordings of each candidates’ statement will be posted on the Board Elections webpage.

Q. When Will a Ballot Package Be Mailed?

A. A ballot package will be mailed to eligible active and retired members’ mailing addresses currently on file with CalPERS on August 27, 2021. To ensure election ballots are received, verify your mailing address.

  • Active members: Contact your employers to update your mailing address.
  • Retired members: Update your mailing address by logging in to myCalPERS or contacting us by phone at 888 CalPERS or 888-225-7377.

Q.  What Are the Voting Options in This Election?

A. Eligible voters may submit their vote online, by phone, or by mail (paper ballot) in accordance with the instructions provided in the ballot package.

Q. What Are the Eligibility Requirements To Vote in This Election?

A. Detailed eligibility requirements are set forth in the Notice of Election (PDF). CalPERS members active as of July 1, 2021 are eligible to vote in this election. Retired CalPERS members (excluding survivors and beneficiaries) whose effective date of retirement is on or before July 1, 2021 are eligible to vote in this election. If a runoff election is needed, CalPERS members active as of October 1, 2021 are eligible to vote in the runoff election. Retired members (excluding survivors and beneficiaries) whose effective date of retirement is on or before October 1, 2021 are eligible to vote in the runoff election.

Q. When Can I Vote?

A. The voting period begins when ballot packages are mailed on August 27, 2021, and ends on September 27, 2021. Your vote must be received by mail, telephone, or online by 11:59 p.m. PST on September 27, or it won't be counted.

Q. What Happens if I Vote Twice?

A. The first ballot received is the only vote that counts.

Q. Can the Public View the Paper Ballot Intake Process?

A. Yes. Returned envelopes will be scanned and secured at 7720 Hardeson Road, Suite B, Everett, WA, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., beginning on August 27, 2021, and continuing through September 27, 2021. At 9:00 a.m. on September 28, 2021, the sealed and signed envelopes containing the voted ballots will be opened, the ballots removed, and processed at the Everett, WA location. Public viewing will be allowed.

Q. Does CalPERS Have Access to the Completed and Returned Paper Ballots Prior to Tabulation?

A. No. Integrity Voting Systems (IVS) retrieves return ballot envelopes from the U.S. Post Office daily. All received return ballot envelopes are scanned by a bar code scanner to ensure only one vote is cast per voter. The ballots remain unopened and are placed in a secured storage area that meets the requirements of the California Secretary of State for manufacturers of ballots. A representative of the California Secretary of State conducts a biannual inspection of the storage site for compliance with California security requirements. After voting closes, IVS retrieves the return ballot envelopes from the secured area, opens them, and separates them from the ballots, which are adjudicated as necessary and then scanned for tabulation.

Q. Where Will the Electronic Tabulation Process Be Held?

A. Upon completion of the paper ballot process, the electronic tabulation process will be held at the Embassy Suites, The Stagecoach Room, 100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814. The time for the public viewing will be announced promptly following the completion of the paper ballot process.

Q. Does CalPERS Have Access to How I Voted?

A. No. CalPERS doesn’t have access to which candidate a voter selected. The voting process is designed to protect the privacy of the voter no matter how a vote is cast, whether by phone, online, or by paper ballot.