SAG-AFTRA to Announce Election Results Thursday

SAG-AFTRA announced the last of its regional election results Wednesday. The national results are expected to be reported Thursday evening, along with the Los Angeles and New York results.

The total number of local-election ballots sent out to the regional locals was 35,495. The number of ballots returned was 8,434, for a return rate or turnout of 23.76 percent. That’s more than three percentage points lower than the last SAG election, in 2011, when the regional turnout was 27.09 percent.

As yet unknown is the turnout is the Los Angeles and New York elections, but those were lower in 2011 than the regional turnout. That time around, the L.A. turnout was 19.37 percent, a figure attributed at least in part to the fact that MembershipFirst, the rival to the dominant Unite for Strength group, did not field any candidates. This time around, they have, although it’s a small slate.

Meanwhile, the 2011 turnout in New York was 25.11 percent – a number due in part to the presence of a vigorously contested election between rival slates from United Screen Actors Nationwide and One.Strong.Union. This time around, too, there is a contested election, between USAN and NY Coalition for Unity.

Another difference between 2011 and 2013 is the presence this year of strong competition for the national president’s office: incumbent Ken Howard is being challenged by Esai Morales. Last time, Howard faced only three far lesser known competitors.

The list of regional results is available here.

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Email: jhandel99 at gmail dot com

Twitter: @jhandel

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