ACS Elections

Bruce E. Bursten, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, University of Wisconsin, Madison, were the top-two vote getters in a four-way race for 2007 ACS president-elect. Bursten received 9,455 votes; Shakhashiri receved 7,181. In accordance with ACS bylaws, because neither candidate received a simple majority of votes, there will be a runoff election. Ballots will be mailed on Nov. 15 and must be returned by Dec. 15.

The other candidates who were running for president-elect were Yorke E. Rhodes, New York University (retired), and James A. Walsh, John Carroll University (retired). They received 2,918 and 4,745 votes, respectively.

Anne T. O'Brien, Wyeth-Ayerst Research (retired), retained her seat on the ACS Board from District I with 1,920 votes. She ran against Thomas R. Gilbert, Northeastern University, Boston, who received 1,588 votes.

In District V, Judith L. Benham, 3M (retired), retained her seat on the board with 2,178 votes. She ran against John E. Adams, University of Missouri, Columbia, who received 1,506 votes.

In the race for three director-at-large seats, margins were slim. Councilors chose incumbent Dennis Chamot, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., with 201 votes; Valerie J. Kuck, Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J., with 189 votes; and Marinda Li Wu, Science Is Fun Co., Orinda, Calif., with 184 votes. Chamot and Kuck will serve terms from 2007 to 2009. Wu will fill the remainder of James Burke's term on the board in 2007?08. In accordance with his previously announced plans, Burke will resign from the board at the end of 2006.

Others running for director-at-large were William H. (Jack) Breazeale Jr., Francis Marion University, Florence, N.C. (retired), who received 97 votes; Peter K. Dorhout, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, who received 137 votes; Paul R. Jones, University of North Texas, Denton (retired), who received 112 votes; and Dorothy J. Phillips, Waters Corp., Milford, Mass., who received 115 votes.

The total number of votes cast for president-elect, including 118 invalid ballots, was 24,417, representing a 15.8% turnout from all eligible voters. Of this total, 63.6% were cast via the Internet.