Election Information
Nominations for the offices of Secretary-Treasurer, President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, and three (3) Trustees of Local 481 will be held at a special meeting at 6:00 PM, November 3rd, 2025. The new term of office shall begin on January 1st, 2026, and end on December 31st, 2028.
A mail referendum ballot election will be conducted by Unilect Election Services. Ballots will be mailed to all active members on November 18th, 2025. Ballots will be counted at the Union office, 2840 Adams Avenue, Suite 104, San Diego, CA 92116, on December 11th, 2025. In order to be counted, your ballot must be mailed back several days in advance so that it is received by the election date, or dropped off in the Post Office box rented by Unilect Election Services (location to be determined) by 9:00 AM, December 11th, 2025.
To be eligible to have your ballot counted, your dues must be paid through the month of November 2025. The last day you may pay your dues to ensure your eligibility to have your ballot counted will be December 10th, 2025, until 4:00 PM.
If you do not receive a ballot by November 25th, 2025, or if your ballot is lost or spoiled, you may request a duplicate ballot by calling Unilect’s Ballot Request Call Center at 1-866-466-6455 that is available 24/7 throughout the election period. Ballot requests will be called in to Unilect where they will be processed. The union will not have ballots available in the union office. The deadline to request a duplicate ballot is 3:00 PM on Thursday, December 4th, 2025.
Make sure Local 481 has your most recent address on file by calling 619-282-2187 extension 3, and speaking to Loni.
In summary, a timeline of important election dates:
November 3rd: Formal nomination of election candidates.
November 18th: Ballots are sent to all eligible union members of Local 481.
November 25th: Start date for the opportunity to request a duplicate ballot if you have not yet received one by mail.
December 4th: Deadline to request a duplicate ballot if you have not yet received one by mail.
December 11th: Election day! Make sure your ballot has been mailed several days in advance before this date in order to be received and counted by December 11th, or drop it off directly to the Unilect Drop Box by 9 AM on December 11th (location to be determined).
Position Information
The following positions will be up for election on the Teamsters Local 481 Executive Board.
Secretary Treasurer
This position is the chief executive and administrative head of the union. They are responsible for budget and fund management, hiring of staff, scheduling meetings, record keeping, labor disputes and litigation, and contract enforcement.
President
Presides over the monthly and special general membership meetings and enforces the by-laws of the union in addition to the International Teamsters Constitution.
Vice President
Responsible for running general membership meetings in the absence of the President, in addition to general assistance of duties to the Executive Board.
Recording Secretary
Takes notes at general membership meetings and enters them into official record of the Union.
Trustees
There are three trustees who are responsible for monthly reviews of the Locals finances, making sure all money is accounted for and that funds, expenses, and investments add up properly.
Executive Board Key Roles
In addition to the roles and responsibilities outlined previously, the entire Executive Board will work together on the following tasks:
Handles how union funds are used, invested, or spent—always in line with union goals and bylaws.
Can create or change internal rules, as long as they follow the union's constitution and bylaws.
Can pay for legal, accounting, or other expert services. Must arrange a yearly audit by a certified public accountant.
Has the authority to start or resolve lawsuits or legal issues if it benefits or protects the union or its members.
Appoints someone to fill an officer vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Designates backups for the President or Secretary-Treasurer to sign checks.
Determines how union-wide votes and referendums are to be conducted.
Selects or provides for the election of delegates to conferences or conventions (with membership approval).
Can act quickly (even outside meetings) by phone, letter, or email when formal meetings are not possible.
Must meet at least once per month and follow quorum rules.
Note that on the ballot, you will have the opportunity to vote for all seven positions of the 481 Executive Board. At this time, however, the Solidarity 481 campaign is only endorsing the three candidates listed on this website. Even though we are running as a team, you will need to vote for us individually on the ballot. It is essential our team is elected as a group to maximize the efficiency and speed at which we can make improvements to our union. If more people join our movement and announce their candidacy for the other four positions, we will add them to our site!
Election FAQ
When is the election?
The election for our local union officers happens once every three years. The next election is on December 11th, 2025.
What is the election for?
The election decides the seven members of our local union executive board. These are our local officers. They are responsible for negotiating our contracts, handling grievances, and appointing our full-time union representatives (“business agents”).
The Election decides whether we have a strong union that educates the members, communicates, and enforces our contract – or whether we have more of the same silent leadership that takes the path of least resistance and dodges our questions.
How do I vote?
Every member in good standing and that have paid their dues on time is eligible to vote. Voting is typically done by mail. Voting is on a secret ballot, so you are the only one who know how you vote. It works like a contract vote.
When do new leaders take office?
When we elect new leaders, they will take over on January 1st, 2026, and their term will expire on December 31st, 2028. There is a transition period of several months to make sure that all necessary information is passed on to new leaders.
What does the Solidarity 481 team stand for?
We stand for change and proactive leadership that backs up the members. We stand for transparency and communicating with the members.
We stand for more shop stewards and training for members to enforce our contracts.
We stand for a union that recognizes our greatest strength is a united, informed, and engaged membership. That’s the only thing employers will respect. Back-room deals won’t cut it anymore.
Why are you running? Can’t we work with current officers?
It is time for change. For too long the membership has tried to be more involved in our union, asking questions, suggesting strategies, and volunteering to help. We have hit roadblocks at every step of the way that have led to years of subpar contracts, weak contract enforcement, and endless frustrations.
Our leadership thinks that strong contracts comes from personal relationship with management – but we know that improvement in our contract come from rank-and-file members organizing to take action.
There is so much more our union can be providing for our members by being proactive, communicative, and utilizing the resources of the International Teamsters to the fullest extent. Right now it is lacking in every aspect.
Will my stewards change if we vote for new leaders?
This election is only for our union officers.
We plan to increase the number of steward spots and provide more training and support for stewards.
Is this election just for the Zoo?
No – Local 481 represents members in many other shops and industries. We’ve heard the same thing from these members: they are ready for change. They are tired of union representatives who don’t show up or answer their phone calls. They don’t get information about union events. The 481 Solidarity 481 team promises to overhaul our union for the benefit of all local 481 members.