Thanks mainly to retirements, mid-term vacancies on the PEF Executive Board are opening up faster than quarterly special elections can fill them.
Nominating petitions for candidates to fill at least six mid-term vacancies will be available beginning January 5, 2012 for first-quarter special elections.
So far, the known vacancies for that election are:
• Seat 35, which represents certain members at the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, including those at Clinton, Camp Gabriels, Camp Adirondack, Camp Moriah, Franklin, Altona, Bare Hill, Mt. Lyon, Upstate and Chateaugay correctional facilities;
• Seat 155, which represents certain members at the Adirondack Park Agency;
• Seat 165, which represents certain members at the state: Police, Office of Criminal Justice Services, Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, Crime Victims’ Assistance, Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Corrections Commission;
• Seat 207, which represents all members of PEF Regions 1-9 at the state Insurance Fund in the claims department, including A&R, actuarial and IT services;
• Seat 220, which represents all members of PEF at the state Workers’ Compensation Board; and
• Seat 245, which represents all PEF members at the state Labor Department in PEF Regions 10-12.
Nominating petitions must be submitted to the PEF Special Elections Committee by January 27. If more than one candidate is certified for a seat, an election will be held. Ballots will be mailed February 22, for return by March 14 and counting by the AAA March 15 in New York City.
2012 triennial elections
PEF’s triennial elections will begin February 27, 2012, to fill all seats on the board, as well as all statewide and regional PEF offices. Winners of those seats will serve three-year terms. Rules for the triennial election will be published in the February issue of The Communicator.
Attention: Triennial Election candidates
Mailing lists will be available for review by appointment January 28-February 27, 2012.
2011 special elections
In the final round of 2011 special elections, Randi DiAntonio was the only certified nominee for Board Seat 285 and is, therefore, seated. An election is underway between two certified candidates, Bernard Johnson and Robin Matthews, to fill Seat 440, which represents all members of PEF Regions 9-12 at the state Office of Children and Family Services and members at Brookwood Center.
Members at the state Department of Transportation’s Region 8 in the Poughkeepsie area, represented by Board Seat 510, are voting in an election between James Huber and Stephen Geyer.
Ballots in those two elections will be counted December 8 by the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
The Communicator Letters policy
We welcome letters to the editor about union issues and events relevant to PEF's diverse membership. All letters are subject to editing for space, fairness and good taste.
Please keep them brief (up to one page, double-spaced or a maximum of 250 words), and please include your name and phone number for verification.
Send letters to thecommunicator@pef.org:
The Communicator
Public Employees Federation
P.O. Box 12414
Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414
Email to Sherry Halbrook, Editor or Darcy Wells, Editor-In Chief