STRS Election 2022: Sellers, Foreman and Jones win STRS Board seats over incumbents in a landslide victory

THE VICTORS!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 STRS BOARD ELECTION!

The losers: All three OEA-endorsed candidates (and Board incumbents) Rob McFee (Board Chairman), Jeffrey Rhodes and Rita Walters (her second consecutive election loss). It has been estimated that OEA spent somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000 to get them reelected. 

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From STRS

May 7, 2022

Retirement Board Election Results

On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the results of the State Teachers Retirement Board election were certified by a board of tellers appointed by the State Teachers Retirement Board and Election Services Company — the independent firm administering the election. The results of the election for the two contributing member seats on the Retirement Board are as follows:

Julie Sellers, 19,030 votes Steven Foreman, 15,247 votes Jeffrey Rhodes, 10,494 votes Robert A. McFee, 9,817 votes Write-Ins, 319 votes

The results of the election for the retired member seat on the Retirement Board are as follows:

Elizabeth Jones, 24,983 votes Rita J. Walters, 21,229 votes Write-Ins, 222 votes

The term of office for Steven Foreman, Elizabeth Jones and Julie Sellers will begin on Sept. 1, 2022, and will end on Aug. 31, 2026.                                     ~    ~    ~    ~    ~ N.B. Many believe Ms. Walters' votes were greatly helped by the timing of the COLA restoration and the mailing of the official STRS letter that was sent to 60,000 retirees, informing them of the restoration. That letter arrived the same time as the STRS election material; as a result, many retirees who had been paying very little attention, probably thought "the problem is solved" and voted for Rita, thinking she was a big part of the solution. Coincidence? Uh, you be the judge.