Dymphna Hermans, who joined the Steering Group in February 2006, has resigned from the Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group, and can therefore no longer represent TSCs on the Steering Group. This is therefore a call for nominations to replace her, with effect from 7 February 2007 until October 2009 (when Dymphna's term of office on the Steering Group would have ended).

Only Trials Search Co-ordinators of entities (with the role TSC in Archie) are eligible to nominate, stand and vote for this position. CRGs that have two Trials Search Co-ordinators will have their aggregated.

Candidates in this election should bear the following in mind, please:

A. Trials Search Co-ordinators considering standing for election are encouraged to contact Dymphna Hermans, Narelle Willis, and/or any member of the Secretariat staff, to find out more about what is involved in being on the Steering Group. For information about workload, please see www.cochrane.org/docs/Additionalinformationfornominees.htm.

B. A candidate wishing to stand for election must be nominated and seconded (by e-mail) no later than midnight on 5 January 2007, please. The Secretariat Deputy Administrator, Claire Allen, will announce the candidates’ names, in the order of receipt of nominations, and the names of the people who nominated and seconded them, when she sends the voting papers on 9 January 2007.

C. Nominated candidates should e-mail their acceptance of the nomination, and send their responses to the attached six questions as to their suitability to join the Steering Group (no more than two A4 pages), to Claire Allen no later than midnight on 5 January 2007, please. 

D. Completed voting papers should be returned to Claire Allen, please, by no later than midnight on 6 February 2007. Claire will announce the election results (including the number of votes each candidate received) to all entities on 7 February, at which point the elected candidate will join the Steering Group.

E.  Steering Group members are eligible for reimbursement of economy class travel and accommodation expenses incurred in attending Steering Group meetings, as well as Colloquium registration fees.

This election will follow the same procedure as in previous years (see www.cochrane.org/ccsg/2004electionprocedure.doc). This description will also be e-mailed with voting papers. Also, for a detailed description of the whole election process, see www.cochrane.org/docs/ccsg_election_process_feb05.doc.