Protect CalPERS Members from Identity Theft and other election abuses

Protect CalPERS Members from Identity Theft

We, the following CalPERS members join in James McRitchie's 2006 petition for reconsideration under Government Code section 11340.7, to amend CalPERS regulations to:

1. Avoid conflicts of interest by CalPERS staff. Current regulations allow staff not directly involved in Board elections to use the prestige of their CalPERS office to influence election outcomes. Staff should be prohibited from using their official position to favor one candidate over another. We demand fair elections.

2. Allow members to rank candidates by preference, using "instant runoff" voting to ensure board members are elected by a majority using a single ballot. CalPERS' response has been, "Any ballot required by an instant runoff voting process may be confusing to CalPERS voters and may reduce voter turnout." San Francisco voters haven't been confused. CalPERS members aren't stupid. Save a $1 million by avoiding a second ballot.

3. Delete an underground regulation, which exposes CalPERS members who sign nomination petitions to identity theft because of required use of social security numbers. CalPERS should protect the financial assets of members. Don't expose us to what the Social Security Administration calls "one of the fastest growing crimes in America."

4. Delete underground regulations, which allow the Board to change both the number of signatures required for nomination and the election schedule, without benefit of full public input. In the past CalPERS asserted its unique Constitutional status exempts it from the Administrative Procedure Act. That assertion was found invalid by the Office of Administrative Law in their response to McRitchie's March 23, 1998 request (1999 OAL Determination No. 18), as well as by the courts. Board election procedures should embody the highest ethical standards by strictly adhering to the law. All election requirements should be included in formal regulations.

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