UFLAC ELECTION NOTICE TO THE MEMBERSHIP
Candidate Articles, Campaign Guidelines and Accepted Nominations
Brothers and Sisters,
The UFLAC Election Committee is committed to conducting a fair, honest, transparent and legally sound election. Please review the following requirements, campaign guidelines and ballot instructions.
Accepted Nominations
The following members, nominated on September 30, 2026, have accepted their nominations and are running for the offices listed below:
| Office | Candidate |
| President | Doug Coates (INC) Anthony Ferro Andy Ruiz |
| 1st Vice President |
Enrique Borboa |
| 2nd Vice President |
Dennis Garrison |
| Secretary |
Dreon Brown |
| Treasurer |
Rigo Arellano |
| Director |
Steve Addleman |
| Ethics Officer |
Bret Cartier |
| Financial Trustee |
Timothy Baker |
| Negotiating Team | Brian Buehler Doug Coates Paul Gilbrook Henry Hsieh Gary Izquierdo Kent Koffler (INC) Nima Mortazavi Eric Nelson Jason Powell Ryan Quigley (INC) Rich Ramirez (INC) Chris Thyfault Michael Villata |
Candidate Articles and Photos
The Election Policies and UFLAC Constitution and Bylaws establish the following article limits:
- Executive Board positions: Maximum of 500 words.
- Negotiating Team: Maximum of 300 words.
The submission system will not accept articles exceeding the applicable word limit and to be submitted in a WORD document.
All candidate photos must be uploaded and should have a light background. Photos will be printed in black and white.
Deadline to submit candidate articles and photos: 3:00 PM on Monday, October 19, 2026 and to be submitted by email to: 112electioncommittee@gmail.com.
Electronic Voting Update
The Election Committee recognizes that members were promised electronic voting for this election. Unfortunately, coordination with the online voting company did not result in an arrangement that could meet the requirements of the UFLAC Constitution and Bylaws for this election. Accordingly, this election will proceed by mail ballot.
We accept responsibility for this outcome and apologize for the inconvenience. Before the next officer election, we will complete the necessary preparation and establish a fallback option so members have a clear, reliable voting process.
Campaign Guidelines and Use of Funds
Union and employer funds and resources may not be used to promote any candidate in a union officer election.
Section 401(g) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended, prohibits the use of union and employer funds to promote a person’s candidacy. These restrictions include facilities, equipment, supplies, cash and campaigning during time paid for by the union or employer. Union-provided items, including T-shirts, coffee cups, keychains and pens, may not be used to promote candidates.
Article V, Section 7 of the UFLAC Constitution and Bylaws states:
“Use of Funds Prohibited in Elections – No funds received by this Local through initiation fees, dues, or assessments or otherwise, shall be contributed or applied to promote the candidacy of any person in election of officers. This section does not prevent the expenditure from Union funds for notices, factual statements of issues and other necessary expenses to conduct elections so long as they do not involve promotion of any candidate.”
All candidates and their supporters are expected to follow these restrictions throughout the election process. Please direct questions about campaign activities to the Election Committee before using resources that may fall within these prohibitions.
Ballot Mailing and Return Instructions
Election ballots will be mailed on Monday, November 2, 2026 and counted on Friday, November 20, 2026.
All ballots must be returned through the U.S. Postal Service and received at the Election Committee’s designated Post Office box no later than 10:00 AM on November 20, 2026 to be valid.
No ballots will be accepted at the UFLAC office. Please allow sufficient mailing time for your ballot to arrive before the deadline.
Verify and Update Your Mailing Information
Please confirm that your current mailing address is on file so that you receive your election materials. Review and update your information through the link below:
Review or Update Your Information — BenefitSolver
For election questions or concerns, contact the Election Committee at 112electioncommittee@gmail.com or call Martin Gutierrez at (323) 481-6891.
Sincerely,
The UFLAC Election Committee
Co-Chairs: Martin Gutierrez and Frank Lima
Committee Members: Dave Brien, Ian Soriano, Larry Lee, Dwight Sankey, Miguel Guerrero, James Mejia, John Norton, Sergio Mayorga and Ryan Needham
