TRS Elections
About the TRS Election
The TRS Retirement Board manages the overall direction, distribution and growth of employee benefits, including pensions, on behalf of TRS members, including those enrolled through UFT. This board is composed of seven members, three of whom are teacher-members that we get to elect for three year terms. The other four are mayoral appointees and public servants in various roles throughout NYC government.
Each year, on a rotating basis, one of the teacher-member seats is up for election. TRS has a democratic process to ensure that its members have a say in who oversees their pensions. There are three unions that participate in the TRS elections: the UFT, CSA and PSC-CUNY. Each union is allowed to nominate candidates for trustee, and the position can be filled by a candidate from any of those unions. The election is split into two parts – a petitioning process and a formal election.
Petitioning Process
The first part of the TRS election process is conducted via nominating petitions to support a specific candidate.
Candidates need 1,000 petition signatures from TRS member-contributors to secure their place as a candidate for election.
Starting in February, chapter leaders will be passing out petitions for TRS member-contributors to sign – but any TRS member can print a petition and gather signatures.
Each petition allows for ten signatures, but TRS member-contributors can only sign one petition. This is key – only one petition to make sure all UFT petitions remain compliant with the law.
Those eligible to sign the petition include all regularly appointed in-service members of the school staff who are TRS members.
To support our endorsed candidate Tom Brown's reelection, please submit your signed petition to your chapter leader no later than March 27, 2026.
Election Process
If multiple TRS trustee candidates receive over 1,000 verified petition signatures, an election will be triggered in schools on May 13, 2026.
Schools will receive notice of an election on May 6, which the DOE will share with heads of schools, colleges and offices.
These elections are run by the DOE through school administrators, not the UFT, and we are committed to ensuring that these elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner. The UFT has fought to protect TRS election transparency in the past, and we will continue to vigorously defend our members' right to a fair TRS election, regardless of outcome.
Please be on the lookout for any TRS election updates from your chapter leader and your school administration.
Our Endorsed Candidate: Tom Brown
Tom Brown
Tom Brown has spent decades fighting for the financial security of NYC's educators. From pension workshops to meeting with UFT members during the school day and beyond to address their needs, Tom is the trusted leader TRS members deserve to protect their retirement security.
Tom Brown is a lifelong educator, UFT member and pension expert who currently serves as the UFT assistant treasurer and chair of the TRS Board. UFT members recognize all he's done for them, which is why Tom received overwhelming support for the endorsement at UFT's February Delegate Assembly.