Candidates certified for Board election
Ballots being mailed this week to eligible voters
By Michael Pramik, Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
Aug. 22, 2017 – The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System has certified six candidates to run for two seats on the OPERS and Ohio Deferred Compensation Boards of Trustees. Those elected will serve four-year terms beginning Jan. 1.
Voting materials are being mailed Aug. 22 to qualified voters at their home address of record. Members may vote only for the candidates who represent them. If you’re not certain which employer group you belong to, use the employer search tool on the OPERS website’s Board election page.
Here are the candidates for this year’s election, grouped in alphabetical order by member representation:
County employees – Representing approximately 87,600 members working at a county job within the state.
- Julie Albers
- Aaron Dennis
- James J. Wilson
Retirees – One of two seats representing approximately 177,500 age-and-service, disability, defined contribution plan and re-employed retirees.
- John P. Downs
- John W. Maurer
- Charlene S. Powell
If you’re an OPERS member and are eligible to vote, a ballot will be mailed to your home. All votes must be received by 11:59 p.m., Sept. 29. The election certification is scheduled for Oct. 2, and the results will be certified by the office of the Ohio Secretary of State.
The other seat up for election this year, miscellaneous employees, had only one certified candidate, incumbent Cinthia Sledz, and therefore there will not be an election. Ms. Sledz will start her new term in January, as if she had been elected. Miscellaneous employees, representing approximately 46,000 members, include employers such as: park districts, conservancy districts, sanitary districts, health districts, townships, metropolitan housing authorities, state retirement systems, public libraries, county law libraries, union cemeteries, joint hospitals or institutional commissaries within the state.
OPERS does not endorse any candidates or their positions. Your retirement and your representation on the OPERS Board are important, so please be an active participant in the election process and cast your vote.
Michael Pramik
Michael Pramik is communication strategist for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and editor of the PERSpective blog. As an experienced business journalist, he clarifies complex pension policies and helps members make smart choices to secure their retirement.
Where are the Bios for the 3 retiree representatives?
Michele,
You can find more information on each candidate in the Board election section of the OPERS website. All of the candidate statements are in one memo. Here’s the link: https://www.opers.org/about/election/board-memorandum-20170807.pdf
Julie, OPERS
Please refresh my old mind. Will information about each candidate be included when we receive our ballots?
On back of the ballot.
How can I get bios on the Retiree Representative candidates?
Where do we find the experience, background and positions of these candidates?
So where do I find information about the three candidates? I looked online and their names are shared by people with a bit more fame. Shouldn’t Opers offer biographies at least? Very disappointing.
Charles,
More information on each candidate can be found on the OPERS website at https://www.opers.org/about/election/board-memorandum-20170807.pdf
Julie, OPERS
Where do we find information about the candidates?
I have not received my survey from OPERS as yet but I can tell you that the 3% COLA raise given to retirees is important when on a fixed income. 3% doesn’t sound like much until it is taken away. Retirees worked for the 3% so leave it alone.
I have voted and am very happy to see there is a candidate that has worked to try and preserve retiree’s benefits such as healthcare and COLA. For those of us that OPERS is our only source of income we need these benefits to survive.