Five new ARRL Section Managers have been declared elected to begin their first terms of office on July 1. Section Manager (SM) election ballots were counted in the Indiana and Northern Florida Sections on May 22 at ARRL Headquarters. Other candidates faced no opposition during the spring election cycle.

In Indiana, James “Jimmy” Merry, KC9RPX, of Ellettsville, was declared elected in a very close race with Brian G. Jenks, W9BGJ, the Indiana Section Traffic Manager. Merry received 451 votes, and Jenks, of Fort Wayne, received 438 votes.

Merry has been the Affiliated Club Coordinator in Indiana since 2005, and is presently serving a fifth term as president of the Bloomington Amateur Radio Club. Incumbent Indiana SM Brent Walls, N9BA, decided not to run for another term after helming the Indiana Field Organization since July 2016.

In Northern Florida, Kevin Bess, KK4BFN, outpolled Scott Roberts, KK4ECR, 564 to 447, to succeed current SM Steve Szabo, WB4OMM. Bess, of Edgewater, is a Northern Florida Assistant Section Manager, and a member of the Daytona Beach CERT Amateur Radio Team and of the Florida Contest Group. Szabo opted not to run for a third term of office after serving since July 2014.

Oregon also will get a new Section Manager this summer. David Kidd, KA7OZO, of Oregon City, was the sole candidate for the post. He has been an Emergency Coordinator and Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator. Kidd will take the reins of the Oregon Section from John Core, KX7YT, of Portland, who did not run for a new term after serving for the past 2 years.

In the East Bay Section, Jim Siemons, W6LK, will begin an 18-month term as SM on July 1. Because no candidates were nominated by the September 8, 2017, deadline, nominations were resolicited. Siemons, of Walnut Creek, California, was the only nominee to succeed incumbent SM Jim Latham, AF6AQ, of Livermore, who has served as East Bay Section Manager since 2008 and did not run for a new term.

In New Mexico, Bill Mader, K8TE, of Rio Rancho, will become the new SM there in July. He, too, was the only candidate after nominations had to be resolicited, and he will serve an 18-month term. He follows incumbent SM Ed James, KA8JMW, of Edgewood, who did not run again after serving since 2015.

Several incumbent Section Managers were unopposed for new 2-year terms starting on July 1. They are Ron Morgan, AD9I (Illinois); Bill Crowley, K1NIT (Maine); Jim Kvochick, K8JK (Michigan); Paul Gayet, AA1SU (Vermont), and Patrick Moretti, KA1RB (Wisconsin).