ARRL Southern Florida Section Manager Jeff Beals, WA4AW, has won a full term in his own right, after being appointed to the post earlier this year. In the just-completed summer election cycle, Beals, of Loxahatchee, received 570 votes to 270 for his challenger, Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, of West Palm Beach. Ballots were counted on August 19, at ARRL Headquarters.

Beals will begin his 2-year term of office on October 1. He has served as Southern Florida Section Manager since June 1, when he was tapped to complete the term of former Section Manager David Fowler, K4DLF, who stepped down because of increased work responsibilities.

An ARRL Life Member, Beals has been licensed since the early 1960s. Prior to becoming SM, Beals was an Assistant Section Manager and had held several other section-level leadership positions over the years. He served as ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director from 2009 until 2011.

Two other sections — Oklahoma and Western New York — will be getting new SMs on October 1. The Oklahoma Section will be led by Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, of Altus. Colston was the only nominee for the volunteer post. Current SM Kevin O’Dell, N0IRW, of Perry, decided not to run for a new term of office after serving since 2010. Colston has been the Public Information Coordinator in Oklahoma for the past 4 years.

It will be a husband-and-wife swap in the Western New York Section, as Laura Peters-Mueller, N2LJM, of Falconer — the only nominee for the position — takes over the reins from her husband, John Mueller, K2BT, who opted not to run for another term. He is a candidate in a three-way race for Atlantic Division Vice Director. Peters-Mueller has been the Western New York Assistant Section Manager for the past 2 years.

Several sitting ARRL Section Managers faced no opposition and have been declared elected for 2-year terms beginning October 1. They are Betsey Doane, K1EIC (Connecticut); Edward Stuckey, AI7H (Idaho); Skip Jackson, KS0J (Minnesota); Lynn Nelson, W0ND (North Dakota); Scott Yonally, N8SY (Ohio); Rene Fonseca, NP3O (Puerto Rico), and Frederick Kleber, K9VV (Virgin Islands).