On November 18, ballots were counted in the races for Director in the Atlantic, Delta and Midwest Divisions. This year, there were only three contested races for Director or Vice Director in the five Divisions holding elections. In the Delta Division, Vice Director David Norris, K5UZ, defeated Director Mickey Cox, K5MC, for the top slot in that Division. Bill Edgar, N3LLR, won re-election as the Director in the Atlantic Division. Cliff Ahrens, K0CA, also was re-elected in the Midwest Division. Terms for Directors and Vice Directors begin at noon on January 1, 2012 and run for three years.

The following incumbents ran unopposed and were earlier declared the winner of their elections by the League’s Ethics and Elections Committee: Atlantic Division Vice Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM; Dakota Division Director Greg Widin, K0GW, and Vice Director Kent Olson, KA0LDG; Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE, and Midwest Division Vice Director Rod Blocksome, K0DAS. The rules state that if a candidate is running unopposed, he or she shall be declared the winner without balloting.

With Norris running for Director in the Delta Division, the Vice Director position was open. Tennessee Section Manager Glen Clayton, W4BDB, was the only person nominated for the position, and as such, was declared elected without balloting. In the Great Lakes Division, Vice Director Gary Johnston, KI4LA, decided not to seek re-election. As Michigan Section Manager Dale Williams, WA8EFK, was the only nominee for this position, he, too, was declared elected without balloting.

Atlantic Division

Incumbent Atlantic Division Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR, of Bradford, Pennsylvania, faced two challengers for his position: John Mueller, K2BT, of Falconer, New York, and Philip Theis, K3TUF, of Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Edgar was declared the winner, with 1628 votes. Theis came in second with 1368 votes, and Mueller came in third with 755 votes. This will be Edgar’s third term as Director. Before becoming Director in 2006, he served two terms as Vice Director.

Delta Division

Incumbent Director Mickey Cox, K5MC, of Monroe, Louisiana, faced incumbent Vice Director David Norris, K5UZ, in the election for Director. After all votes were tallied, Norris was declared the winner. He received 1313 votes to Cox’s 1153. Both Norris and Cox are serving their first term; they were elected in 2008.

Midwest Division

Current ARRL Midwest Division Director Cliff Ahrens, K0CA, of Hannibal, Missouri, faced Keith Kaiser, WA0TJT, of Kansas City, Missouri, in the race for Midwest Division Director. With 1276 votes, Ahrens was declared the winner; Kaiser received 802 votes. This will be Ahrens first full term as Director. He was appointed Vice Director in 2006 after then-Midwest Division Vice Director Bruce Frahm, K0BJ, moved up to the Director position when Wade Walstrom, W0EJ, passed away. When Frahm was elected ARRL Second Vice President in 2010, Ahrens moved into the Director slot.

“It is great to see such an interest on the part of members in this election,” said ARRL New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI. “I would like to thank everyone for running and also thank the ARRL members in the Atlantic, Delta and Midwest Divisions who participated. The big turnout shows the high level of interest our members have in Amateur Radio and that they take the ARRL elections very seriously.”

Along with Frenaye, Roanoke Division Director Dennis Bodson, W4PWF and ARRL Chief Financial Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY, served as election tellers; Frenaye and Bodson are members of the ARRL’s Ethics and Elections Committee. Tiffany Williams from the accounting firm of J. H. Cohn LLP, served as the independent observer.

The next scheduled Division elections are next fall for the ARRL Central, Hudson, New England, Northwestern and Roanoke Divisions. In accordance with League’s Bylaws, ballots will be counted on November 16, 2012.