Our Teamsters Union has the most democratic elections and election rules of any major union—and it didn’t happen by accident. TDU worked hard to secure fair rules, and we continue to work to maintain democratic rules and an independent Election Supervisor.
What’s special about the IBT Election Rules?
We have a unique set of Rules governing our International Union election, and the elections in every local union for delegates to the IBT Convention. The Rules protect Teamsters’ rights to run for office and to campaign. The Rules are also available in Spanish and French versions.
Many of them go beyond election law. For example, the rules provide for parking lot access for members to campaign in any employee parking lot, not just your own employer. Section VII of the Rules, Campaigning and Access, details a number of such rights. The Rules cover delegate elections, as well as elections for International office. The Rules do not cover local union officer elections.
How are the Rules enforced?
The Rules are enforced by the Independent Election Supervisor and his staff. The Election Supervisor’s website has a lot of information on the election. A key part of enforcement is the right of any member to file an election protest, to aid in enforcing the rules.
What are Election Protests and how do they enforce the Rules?
Election protests are key to a fair election. Any member or campaign can file a protest to enforce the rules; the decision on the protest will be made by the Election Supervisor. In the 2020-21 election the Election Supervisor issued 191 decisions. In 2015-16 the Election Supervisor issued 389 decisions.
As of September 17, 2025, the Election Supervisor has received six protests and issued four decisions. Protests have been filed so far by members in British Columbia, North Carolina, and Virginia, and by the OZ Teamsters United campaign. All decisions are available on the Election Supervisor website.
Over the many election cycles since 1991, a body of precedents has been established to clarify details of the rules.
Protests have been filed by all the International candidates and slates in all elections—the Hoffa campaign, the Vairma Campaign, the OZ Campaign, and others. Many protests have also been filed by TDU members as well as other Teamsters.
How do you file a protest?
You can use the form on the Election Supervisor website, or file a protest without using that form. However, you should first be familiar with the process. Learn the ropes. Do not file frivolous protests or give false information to the E.S. And know the important time limits—protests must be filed promptly.
TDU can provide information to members on the process and the rules.
Recent protests: What are possible remedies the E.S. can use?
The Election Supervisor has a wide range of penalties and remedies, from posting a notice of a rules violation up to disqualifying a candidate from running.
In one recent protest decision issued in August, the Election Supervisor ordered that a Teamster must reimburse a Local Union for food and beverages because a union event turned into a campaign event.
In a September decision, the Election Supervisor ordered a candidate to cease using a union slogan as their campaign slogan. In both cases, union resources were used to aid a campaign. Those were clear violations and the remedies were simple.
Those are examples of protests which serve to protect the rules and maintain a fair election.
Remedies can also be used to level the playing field. For example, if a candidate for delegate gains access to campaign inside a warehouse, the Election Supervisor could order that the opposing slate be given a free campaign mailing to all Teamsters employed there.
The Rules list some possible remedies in Article XIII, Section 4.
What is TDU’s role?
TDU proposed many of the original rules in the first independently supervised Teamster election in 1991. We have met with every Election Supervisor since and we always offer proposals to make the Rules more democratic.
In April of this year TDU representatives met with the Election Supervisor, Judge Timothy Hillman, and some of his staff. We followed up our meeting with written proposals for improvements in rules enforcement.
Would it be a better system to wait until after the election, then decide protests?
Absolutely not. Then the only recourse would be an entirely new election. The Election Supervisor system allows for protests to be settled all along the campaign, to continually right the ship. That’s why the protest process is important.
Where can I find more information?
A summary of the stages of the election is here. A detailed timetable is contained in the preamble to the Rules.
Note that the Rules do not apply to elections for Local Union officers. You can check the IBT’s helpful Guidelines for Local Union Elections. And TDU publishes the definitive guide: Running for Local Union Office.