Of the nine Sections holding Section Manager elections this month, three will be getting new Section Managers: Los Angeles, South Texas and Georgia. The Sacramento Valley, Eastern Washington, Colorado, Western Washington, West Virginia and San Francisco Sections will keep their incumbent Section Managers. The new terms of office start October 1, 2009. Ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters on Tuesday, August 18.

In Los Angeles, David Greenhut, N6HD, of Woodland Hills, was elected as the new Section Manager with 838 votes. He defeated incumbent Phineas Icenbice, W6BF, who received 149 votes. Icenbice has been the Los Angeles Section Manager for 11 straight terms of office since October 1, 1987. Greenhut, a licensed radio amateur for 35 years, has a strong interest in ARES® and emergency communications; he has served as the District Emergency Coordinator for the Northwest District of the Los Angeles County since 2006

With 647 votes, Lee H. Cooper, W5LHC, of Leander, was elected Section Manager of the South Texas Section. Challengers Lou Everett, Sr, WA5LOU, of Kennard, received 601 votes and Gary Tangrady, K5GST, of San Antonio, received 142 votes. Cooper, presently the South Texas Section Public Information Coordinator, is active in emergency communications, representing ARES® on the newly formed State Communications Coordination Group. He was also the Travis County Emergency Coordinator from 2000-2004. Cooper will be taking on the Section Manager's role from Ray Taylor, N5NAV, of San Antonio. Section Manager since 1997, Taylor decided not to run for another term of office.

Georgia will be getting a new Section Manager starting on October 1. Eugene "Gene" Clark, W4AYK, of Albany, will be stepping into the Section Manger's position. He will be taking over from Susan Swiderski, AF4FO, who has been Section Manager since 2002. Swiderski, the co-recipient of this year's Joe Knight Distinguished Service Award, decided not to run for another term of office. Clark has been the Georgia Section Emergency Coordinator for the last year and was a District Emergency Coordinator prior to that appointment.

The following incumbent ARRL Section Managers did not face opposition and were declared elected for their next two year terms of office beginning October 1, 2009: Ron Murdock, W6KJ, Sacramento Valley; Mark Tharp, KB7HDX, Eastern Washington; Jeff Ryan, K0RM, Colorado; Jim Pace, K7CEX, Western Washington; Ann Rinehart, KA8ZGY, West Virginia; and Bill Hillendahl, KH6GJV, San Francisco.