Election Information

The following schedule applies to both the General and Retired elections unless otherwise noted.

Third General Member

Candidates for the Third General Member position must be active General members. Active and deferred General members may sign nomination petitions and vote in the election.

Eighth Retired and Alternate Eighth Retired Member

Candidates for the Eighth Retired Member and Alternate Eighth Retired Member positions must be retired MCERA members. A note about the Retiree election: These are separate elections. Candidates may only be nominated for one position.

Nomination petitions may be obtained from the Elections Department beginning at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Petitions must be signed by at least ten qualified members from the candidate's membership classification (General or Retired) and filed with the Elections Department by 4:30 PM on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. If the incumbent in one of the Retired Member positions fails to file a nomination petition, the deadline for that position will extend to 4:30 PM on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

In the event there is only one nominee for a position, no election for that position will be held and the nominee shall be declared elected.

Candidates who wish to submit a statement of their qualifications for office may do so at the time of filing their nomination. The statement may include the name, age and occupation of the candidate and a brief description, no more than 200 words in length, of the candidate's qualifications. Candidate statements will be sent to each voter with the official ballot.

The official duties of Board members include, and are not limited to, the following:

• Preparation for and attendance at twelve regular monthly Board meetings
• Preparation for and attendance at six investment committee meetings
• Strategic workshops, typically in the spring and fall
• Board committees as assigned by the Board Chair
• Ad hoc committee meetings as assigned by the Board Chair
• Special Board meetings, if necessary

The meetings involve duties such as the selection and monitoring of investment managers, consideration of disability retirement applications, the review and adoption of actuarial studies and the general administration of the retirement system.

Regular Meetings

The Board generally holds its regular meetings on the second Wednesday of each month, except in November when the regular meeting is moved to the first Wednesday. Meetings begin at 9 AM unless otherwise posted, and generally end before 1 PM.

Special Meetings

From time to time, a “special meeting” of the Board may be convened on at least 24-hour notice.

Investment Committee Meetings

The Investment Committee generally meets every other month, one to two weeks after the regular monthly Board meeting. Meetings begin at 9 AM unless otherwise posted, and generally end before 1 PM.

Strategic Workshops

Board workshops are held in the spring and fall and are 1-2 days in length. The workshops generally focus on educational topics for the Board.

Meeting Preparation

Board members should generally expect to spend three to four hours in preparation for Board and Committee meetings. For example, Board members are provided investment-related materials relevant to the administration of MCERA’s investments. Spending 1-3 hours per week reviewing such materials would not be unusual.

Training and Education

California law requires that MCERA Board members complete a minimum of 24 hours of education within two years of joining the Retirement Board and thereafter on a biannual basis. Ethics certification is mandated within one year of assuming office then once every two years, and Prevention of Sexual Harassment training is required within six months of assuming office then once every two years. Board members are also expected to complete training on the Brown Act (California’s open meetings law).

Board members may spend from 7-10 days, plus travel time, attending educational conferences and seminars each year. In addition, Board members who assume leadership positions in organizations that serve public pension funds typically spend several additional days on that work.

You can find information on the Retirement Board, including current members and the committees to which they are assigned, at the pages below:

• Retirement Board Members
• Retirement Board Committees

Among other requirements, all Retirement Board trustees:

• Are prohibited from selling or providing investment products to any public retirement system in California.
• Are required to file an annual Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) with the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
• Must obtain a minimum number of hours of relevant board member education, as outlined in MCERA's Education Policy.
• Must annually attest to their compliance with key policies (see MCERA's Policy Regarding Annual Affirmation as to Key Policies for more information).

View the calendar to see all upcoming meetings.

Visit the Governance page to read MCERA's bylaws, policies, and the complete County Employees' Retirement Law of 1937.

You can read more about MCERA and the Retirement Board on the following pages:

• About MCERA
• Retirement Board
• Reports

You can also contact us with your questions:

• Jeff Wickman, Retirement Administrator
  (415) 473-3733, jwickman@marincounty.org
• MCERA Board Administration
  MCERABoard@marincounty.org