DENKER, WAGNER ELECTED
Grandmaster Arnold Denker of Florida and Dr.Joseph Wagner of Southern California
have been elected to one-year USCF Executive Board terms, replacing Helen Warren
and Doris Barry, who resigned at the beginning of the year.
In a relatively mild campaign free of much controversy, which saw most voters not even receive campaign letters from the majority of candidates, the results were:
Arnold Denker (FL) 198
Joseph Wagner (Southern CA) 185
Sam Sloan (NY) 71
Larry Cohen (IL) 64
Enrique Rios (TX) 40
Denker's first place finish was very impressive, considering that he did not send out a campaign letter. Dr. Wagner, chair of the USCF Senior Committee, had done two letters and his election is not surprising. Perennial candidate Sloan did one letter, which was detailed and relatively free of the mistakes common in his previous Board campaigns; he was rewarded with a vote total exceeding his combined tally of his other four tries for the Board (1996, 1997, 1999, 2001). Cohen also sent a lengthy letter, but to save money, it went only to some voters. Had he sent it to all voters he likely would have placed third. Rios did not campaign as far as I am aware- no letter and not even a Chess Life statement.
Denker and Wagner generally are believed to be supportive of the McCrary Board and Executive Director Frank Niro, so no major shift in USCF policies is expected to result from this election.
This was the last USCF Election for which only a special class of members, the Delegates and Alternate Delegates, were eligible to vote. Beginning next year, OMOV (One Member One Vote) will be in effect, resulting in every USCF member aged 16 or over being allowed to vote.