STRS Ohio Board Elections Have Begun!
- ORTA Staff
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Elections for one retired member seat and two contributing member seats on the STRS Ohio Retirement Board have begun.
ORTA is endorsing Rudy Fichtenbaum for the retired member seat.
ORTA is happy to announce that Rudy Fichtenbaum, who is currently serving as Board Chair, is running unopposed!
Fichtenbaum will retain the seat with his new term beginning Sept. 1, 2025, and running through Aug. 31, 2029.
For that reason, retired members of STRS Ohio will not receive a ballot for that election.
ORTA is endorsing Chad Smith and Michael Harkness for the two contributing seats.
Harkness, who is currently seated on the Board, replaced Steve Foreman, who resigned from the Board in June.
"I pledge to continue advocating on behalf of all Members, both active and retired, to restore benefits and to ensure that everyone who has taught, is teaching, or will be teaching in the future in Ohio has a dignified retirement." - Rudy Fichtenbaum
"I bring a collaborative and diplomatic approach to problem-solving and will work to find solutions that serve all stakeholders. Together, we can build a stronger, more secure future for educators." - Chad Smith
"I will work towards making our retirement platform a rock that people can not only depend on but feel confident we are making decisions that are developed that align with their goals as well." - Michael Harkness
Who can vote in the election for two contributing (active) seats?
Eligible to vote in the election for two contributing seats are members presently contributing or those who have contributions on deposit with STRS Ohio.
Not eligible to vote in this election are retired teachers or STRS Ohio retirees who are reemployed in an STRS Ohio-covered position, and those who do not have an account with the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio.
Contributing (active) STRS Ohio members who believe they are eligible to vote, and do not receive a ballot package by April 10, should send an email to strsohhelp@electionservicescorp.com or call Election Services Co.’s customer service line at 866-276-1506 (toll-free). Use the email address for faster service. The customer service center is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. EDT.
Voting will conclude on Monday, May 5, at 4:30 p.m. Election results will be shared on the our website and through our email news service. The four-year term for these seats begins on Sept. 1, 2025.