Change in Teamsters Election Rules Proposed

The court-appointed official overseeing the Teamsters’ rerun election proposed a major change in election rules that would allow reformers a chance to run a slate of candidates to oppose James P. Hoffa for the union presidency. Michael Cherkasky asked a federal court to allow candidates to switch political slates for the election this summer, saying that was the only fair way to proceed with Teamsters President Ron Carey out of the race and Hoffa’s campaign finances under investigation. Carey narrowly defeated Hoffa in a December 1996 election, but that election was thrown out by the government last August after an investigation turned up financial irregularities in the Carey campaign. Carey has been barred from running in the new election. Cherkasky told the court he would have an investigation of Hoffa’s campaign finances completed by early March and a report outlining his findings ready by early April. Cherkasky also proposed that election ballots be mailed July 27 and the counting begin on Aug. 25.