Section 554.11 - Protest of an Election(a) The filing of a protest shall not delay the seating of an elected Board member. Such elected Board member shall take office, in accordance with the published election schedule, subject to the potential termination of such Board membership as a result of the protest. Any newly elected member, as the result of a protest, shall hold office for a period equal to the remainder of the term of the vacated office.(b) A candidate may protest an election or a runoff election. A protest shall be filed with the Election Coordinator at the Sacramento Office of CalPERS within 10 working days after the transmission of the certified election results to all parties. A protest shall be in writing, shall be identified using the word "protest", shall specify the election, and shall state the grounds of the protest and suggested remedy.(c) Upon receipt of a valid and timely protest, the Election Coordinator shall mail a copy of the request to all candidates for the same seat. The Board or its designee shall appoint an independent, neutral agent which shall designate a Protest Panel using the following process. The independent agent shall promptly submit simultaneously to each candidate for the same office that is subject of the protest an identical list of names of at least five persons chosen from its panel of arbitrators. Each candidate shall have seven days from the date the list is submitted in which to file an objection with the agent to any name, number the remaining names to indicate order of preference, and return the list to the agent. From among the persons for whom no objection has been filed, and in accordance with the designated order of preference, the agent shall invite members to serve on the Protest Panel. If every proposed panel member receives an objection, or if a panel member selected declines or is unable to act, or if any other reason the appointment cannot be made from the submitted list, the agent shall make the appointment from among other members of the agent's panel of arbitrators without the submission of any additional list. No Board member who is a candidate for election that is the subject of the protest may participate in the selection of the Protest Panel. The decision of the Protest Panel shall be final. The Protest Panel shall be comprised of no less than three people, all of whom are neither employed by CalPERS nor otherwise interested in the outcome of the election that is the subject of the protest. For purpose of the foregoing sentence only, membership in CalPERS does not, by itself, constitute an "interest in the outcome of the election." The Protest Panel shall consider written and/or oral arguments submitted by the protestor and any other interested party, including the Board's staff. Any oral proceedings shall be held in the City of Sacramento. The determination of the Protest Panel shall be rendered within 30 days of selection of the Panel and shall be final and binding on CalPERS and candidates for office. Other procedures, including those for receiving and considering arguments and factual allegations, shall be determined by the Protest Panel in its sole discretion. A protest shall only be granted upon a finding that Board-adopted election procedures were not substantially followed and that, without this lack of substantial compliance, the election outcome would likely have been different.(d) Each candidate participating in the protest shall bear their own expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of his or her case at the protest proceedings. The fees and expenses of the independent, neutral agent, protest panel, and all other expenses of the protest shall be borne equally by each candidate participating in the protest.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 2, § 554.11
1. Renumbering and amendment of former section 554.9 to new section 554.11 filed 11-10-2016; operative 1-1-2017 (Register 2016, No. 46). Note: Authority cited: Section 20121, Government Code. Reference: Section 20121, Government Code; Duva, Calif. School Employees' Assoc. v. PERS., et al., 1993 Sacramento Superior Court Case No. 375842.
1. Renumbering and amendment of former section 554.9 to new section 554.11 filed 11-10-2016; operative 1-1-2017 (Register 2016, No. 46).