Gabrielle Carteris and Camryn Manheim have been chosen by SAG-AFTRA’s national membership to fulfill the respective roles of president and secretary-treasurer, two of the union’s highest ranking offices. Their two-year terms begin today.
Ballots for the national offices election were mailed to approximately 145,700 eligible voters on July 29, 2019. Of the total number of votes, 30,837 were returned, equating to a return of 21.17%. In the election for president, Carteris received 13,537 votes, followed by Matthew Modine with 10,682 votes, Jane Austin with 5,048 votes, Queen Alljahye Searles with 1,096 votes and Abraham Justice with 367 votes.
Manheim was elected to the secretary-treasurer position with 16,047 votes. Candidates Jodi Long, Chuck Slavin and Rob Stats received 10,251, 2,204 and 1,790 votes respectively.
Said Carteris, “I’m very grateful to all of the dedicated SAG-AFTRA members who participated in our union’s elections. Their support is humbling and I vow to fight every day on their behalf. We will keep building on our commitment to honesty, transparency and a strategic vision that protects our members, strengthens our contracts, and fortifies our union. I look forward to coming together and working with all of the elected leaders from across the nation. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and further establish SAG-AFTRA as the world’s premier and most powerful entertainment union.”
Manheim stated, “I am honored to have been elected as our union’s secretary-treasurer and to serve in partnership with Gabrielle Carteris. I’m grateful to all the SAG-AFTRA members who participated in this critical election. I’m eager to take on my new responsibilities, and to further protect and strengthen our union. I promise to use my loud voice to represent the needs of all our members.”
David White, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA, said, “President Carteris’ vision and dedication have enabled SAG-AFTRA to make great strides in achieving many of our initiatives and goals over the last several years. I look forward to continuing that work with her and look forward to working with Camryn and all other elected officers throughout the nation.”
A working actor for nearly 30 years, Carteris became a household name playing Andrea Zuckerman on Beverly Hills, 90210 and its revival BH90210. Her extensive resume includes work in television, film and the stage, with recent credits including a recurring role on Code Black and guest-starring roles on Criminal Minds, Make It or Break It, The Event, Longmire and The Middle. Carteris was first elected SAG-AFTRA president in April 2016, and previously served as executive VP from 2013-16. A fierce advocate for inclusion and equity for all, Carteris is a sought-after speaker and panelist on diversity topics. In August 2016, she was also elected a VP on the AFL-CIO’s executive council.
Manheim portrayed feisty defense attorney “Ellenor Frutt” on the ABC drama, The Practice, for eight years, garnering her an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Manheim was nominated, once again, for an Emmy and Golden Globe for her portrayal of “Gladys Presley” in the miniseries Elvis. Manheim is back home on ABC, in the new highly anticipated drama, Stumptown, which will premiere this fall.
Ballots for the union’s two largest locals, Los Angeles and New York, also had a tabulation count declared Thursday. Patricia Richardson was elected president of the Los Angeles Local and Rebecca Damon was re-elected president of the New York Local.
The executive vice president, as well as the seven category and geographical vice presidents, will be elected by delegates at SAG-AFTRA’s biennial convention in Los Angeles.
