Bishops to Elect Conference President, Vice President at November Meeting

WASHINGTON (October 29, 2010) — The U.S. bishops will elect their president and vice president at their annual Fall General Assembly, November 15-18, in Baltimore.

The new president will succeed Cardinal Francis George, OMI, of Chicago, who completes his three-year term at the meeting. His successor assumes the presidency at the end of the meeting. Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona completes his term as vice president at the November meeting.

The slate of candidates for president and vice president follows:

Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM, Cap., of Denver
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York
Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky
Bishop George Murry, SJ, of Youngstown, Ohio
Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien of Baltimore
Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit
Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City

Conference by-laws provide that the election of the president will take place first from among the list of 10 candidates. Following the election of the president with at least 50 percent of the vote, the vice president is elected from the remaining nine candidates. In either election, if a candidate fails to win over 50 percent of the vote, a second vote is taken. If a third vote is necessary, only two names appear on the ballot.

The bishops will also vote for a new treasurer-elect and the chairmen-elect of six committees at the November meeting, as well as a new general secretary, the priest who oversees the day-to-day operations of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
For more information about the election of the treasurer-elect and chairmen-elect, visit www.usccb.org/news/2010/10-160.cfm. For more information about the election of the general secretary, visit www.usccb.org/news/2010/10-167.cfm.

Coverage of the Fall General Assembly of the USCCB is open to credentialed media. The meeting is at the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott. Sessions open to the media will be Monday, November 15, and Tuesday, November 16. Media conferences will follow all open sessions. Reporters seeking to cover the meeting can download a credential application form and submit it by November 5, by fax (202-541-3173) or mail to:

November Meeting Credentials
Office of Media Relations
3211 4th St. NE
Washington, DC 20017-1194

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