UFT President Michael Mulgrew has won his fifth term as the union’s president. Mulgrew, the Unity Caucus candidate, received 66.3 percent of the votes counted, while his closest competitor, United For Change candidate Camille Eterno, received 33.6 percent.

See the complete election results >>

The tallies, compiled by the American Arbitration Association, are based on 95 percent of the votes counted. Non-slate votes, ballots cast for individual candidates, are still being counted but are not enough to materially change the results.

Mulgrew said:  “I am honored that — after a couple of very difficult years for the schools and for our members — I have been re-elected.  I look forward to working with the entire UFT to ensure that the school system functions well for everyone — employees, children and their families.”

In UFT elections, which happen every three years, union members choose the president and vice presidents representing elementary, middle and academic high schools; career and technical education high schools; education; special education; and one representing members not employed by the city Department of Education. Other union-wide elected positions are Secretary; Assistant Secretary; Treasurer; and Assistant Treasurer.

All UFT members are eligible to vote for president and other union-wide offices, including members of the retiree chapter, though the total number of retiree votes is capped at 23,500.

In addition, a total of 90 candidates will be elected to serve on the union’s Executive Board, including members elected at large and from elementary, middle, and high schools, along with the functional chapters.

Another 750 candidates will be elected to serve as delegates to conventions of the American Federation of Teachers and the New York State United Teachers. Retirees vote for 36 NYSUT Retiree Council delegates and 12 AFT Retiree Council delegates.

All positions are for three-year terms starting July 1, 2022.

The AAA mailed a total of 193,516 ballots to members’ homes on April 8, 2022.  A total of 50,900 ballots, or about 26 percent, were returned.  

Mulgrew was elevated to the presidency after serving as the union’s vice president for career and technical education high schools and its chief operating officer. He was elected to his first full term as UFT president in 2010. He began as a teacher and spent most of his 12 years at William E. Grady HS in Brooklyn, where he served as chapter leader for five years.

Eligible UFT voters included teachers, paraprofessionals, school secretaries, occupational and physical therapists, guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, administrative law judges, registered nurses, family childcare providers and other active and retired members.