PUBLIC NOTICE

Arkansas Teacher Retirement System (ATRS)

Board of Trustees Election 2025

 

Election of the following 2 positions on the ATRS Board of Trustees is scheduled for March, 2025: Position No. 3 (Certified Member Trustee – 3rd Congressional District, Requires State Teaching Licensure), and Position No. 10 (Retired Trustee).

Candidates for Position No. 3 must:

  1. Be active members of ATRS or participants in the Teacher Deferred Retirement Option Plan (T-DROP) who are receiving T-DROP deposits;
  2. Have a minimum of 5 years of actual service in ATRS;
  3. Be employed primarily in a position that requires state teaching licensure or its equivalent, but not an administrator’s license; and
  4. Be employed by a participating employer in the 3rd Congressional District.


Eligible voters for Position No. 3 must be:

  1. Active ATRS members (includes T-DROP participants), regardless of credited service;
  2. Employed by a participating employer located in the 3rd Congressional District; and
  3. Employed primarily in a position that requires state teaching licensure or its equivalent, but not an administrator’s license.


Candidates for Position No. 10 must be:

  1. Retired members of ATRS; and
  2. Residents of the State of Arkansas.


Eligible voters for Position No. 10 must be retired members of ATRS, regardless of present employment status or residency.


Nomination for election shall be upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 25 voters who are eligible to vote for the trustee position for which the member is seeking nomination. For verification of each member’s eligibility to vote for the position, the petition must include each signatory’s legibly printed name and signature, and the last four digits of each signatory’s Social Security number. Nominating petitions and a candidate information form must be filed with the Executive Director of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System by Friday, January 10, 2025. Petitions may be requested by contacting Tammy Porter by email at tammyp@artrs.gov or by phone at 501-682-6149.

The ATRS Board of Trustees will employ an independent contractor who will mail ballots to eligible voters' addresses of record and will also collect, count, and certify election results.

  • Deadline for nomination: Friday, January 10, 2025.
  • Ballots mailed: Saturday, March, 15, 2025.
  • Deadline for ballots to be returned: Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
  • Results certified: Sunday, April 20, 2025. 

If no candidate receives at least 50% of votes cast by eligible voters on the first ballot, a run-off election will be held between the 2 candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the position. The Schedule for the run-off election will be as follows:

  • Run-off ballots mailed: Thursday, May 1, 2025.
  • Deadline for ballots to be returned: Sunday, June 1, 2025.
  • Results certified: Thursday, June 5, 2025.

If a candidate receives at least 50% of the votes cast on the first ballot, they will be declared the winner of the election and will assume office on July 1, 2025. If a run-off election is necessary, the candidate receiving at least 50% of the votes cast in the runoff will be declared the winner of the election and will assume office on July 1, 2025.

The term of office of each elected trustee is 6 years. Each trustee shall continue to serve as trustee until his or her successor is elected.

If any of the above fixed dates fall on a weekend or holiday, that date is moved to the next regular work day.

The ATRS Board of Trustees and ATRS staff do not and will not endorse any candidate for election to the Board of Trustees.