ARRL has become aware of a mail delivery problem affecting the ARRL Board of Director election ballots sent to members in part of the West Gulf Division. Recent flooding has affected some US Postal Service distribution centers in the Houston region of the state, damaging some sorting machines. This is delaying delivery to many members in that area. They are processing mail out, but there are delays in processing out bulk mail, which include the ballots. We are aware that ballots are being processed as part of their work flow, but they cannot give us a definitive date of when they will all be out for delivery.

All ballots were mailed from Hartford on Monday, September 30, as required by the Articles of Association/By-Laws. Ballots to most of the West Gulf Division were delivered in the usual time frame, which is generally 10 to 14 days.

We have received numerous requests for replacement ballots. We also have member notifications sent after making the replacement ballot request to inform us the ballot had arrived. We ask ARRL members to be patient.

If you still do not receive your ballot by Monday October 21, 2019, please send a request for a new ballot. The ARRL HQ will process replacement requests on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, via first-class mail and daily as later requests come in. That will allow 3+ weeks (24 days) for the replacement to be delivered to you and allowing for their return to ARRL’s accounting firm of CohnReznick LLP by the noon on Friday, November 15, 2019, deadline.

There is no deadline for requesting a replacement ballot. Also, there is no deadline for you to have received your ballot in order to be eligible to vote. Please note that all replacement requests need to be in writing (email is okay) but must directly come from the ARRL member. Third-party requests cannot be processed.

If you have already requested a replacement ballot but still haven’t received the original ballot by October 21, you will need reconfirm your need for a replacement by email. If your original ballot is received before that time, we also ask you confirm that, so that your request can be closed.

We thank you for your patience in this unusual situation. If you have any questions, please contact ARRL Assistant Secretary Dan Henderson, N1ND, telephone (860) 594-0236. — Thanks to Dan Henderson, N1ND, Assistant Secretary, ARRL