The MSRS Board of Directors election officially opens Thursday, February 5. Ballots are mailed the first week of February to eligible voters, which includes active and inactive vested members of the General, Unclassified, and State Patrol Retirement Plans. In addition, if we have a business email in our records, an emailed ballot will be sent.  

Three positions are up for election this year.

Correctional Retirement Plan members and retirees will not vote in this year’s election. Elections for those positions will be held in 2028.

You can vote by mail or online. The ballot includes the election website URL and your login credentials. The deadline to vote is Monday, March 2, 2026. If voting by mail, the ballot must be postmarked by that date. If voting online, the ballot must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. that date.

Ballots will be counted on Thursday, March 19. Winners will be announced on this website. New Board members begin their four-year terms on Monday, May 4, 2026.

Questions about the election? Email www.msrselections@mnretire.gov

 

Serving on the Board

  • Board members are responsible for the overall governance of MSRS. Members do not select investments or determine plan asset allocation. These duties are the responsibility of the Minnesota State Board of Investment.
     
  • Board meetings are generally scheduled the third Thursday of odd-numbered months. Meetings are usually three to four hours long, but may be extended a few times each year to provide training and education to board members.
     
  • Members do not receive compensation for their service, but may be eligible for reimbursement of expenses incurred while serving on the board for MSRS related business.
     
  • See MSRS Board of Directors for list of current Board members and information about meetings.

Election Timeline

  • Wed, Oct 1, 2025: Deadline to apply to be a candidate.
     
  • Wed, Oct 15, 2025: Last day to withdraw name as a candidate
     
  • Thurs, Feb 5, 2026: Ballots mailed to eligible voters. Voting begins (either online or by paper ballot).
     
  • Mon, March 2, 2026: Deadline to vote.
     
  • Thurs, March 19, 2026: Votes counted. New Board members announced on this website after that date.
     
  • Mon, May 4, 2026: New Board member 4-year term begins.

How to Become a Candidate

Eligibility
To qualify to be a candidate, you must be a current, active member of the retirement plan. There are no specific experience or educational requirements to be an MSRS Board member.


Forms to complete 
If interested in running for an open position, you must submit these two forms to MSRS by Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. CT. 

  1. Biographical Sketch. Complete and submit this form online or by paper.
     
  2. Nominating Petition. Obtain signatures of 10 current, active members of your retirement plan.

    Important! The MSRS Board of Directors has agreed to allow electronic signatures for the 2026 election. This exception is due to the difficulty potential candidates may experience when trying to obtain original signatures from employees who work remotely. Email MSRSelections@mnretire.gov to request the e-signature version of the Nominating Petition and instructions. MSRS does not provide the tool needed for e-signature.

 

Obtain candidate packet 

The candidate packet includes election information, timeline and the forms to complete. There are several ways to obtain the packet.

  Online: Download and complete the required forms.

  Email: MSRSelections@mnretire.gov. Be sure to specify what position you plan to run for.

  By phone: Call the MSRS Service Center at 1-800-657-5757 or 651-284-7730.