Aspen Insurance Holdings says preliminary voting results showshareholders have rejected two Endurance Specialty Holdingsproposals related to Endurance's unsolicited bid for Aspen.

Aspen says the results as of the close of business on July 25shows “the overwhelming majority of Aspen shareholdersparticipating in the consent solicitation have rejected both ofEndurance's proposals.”

July 25 is the date Endurance set as its target date for votingon its proposals.

The first proposal calls for a Special General Meeting duringwith shareholders would consider a measure to expand Aspen's boardfrom 12 to 19 directors, resulting in a majority of the currentdirectors to stand for election at Aspen's 2015 annual generalmeeting. Endurance further asks shareholders to support itsproposal for a Scheme of Arrangement, which calls for acourt-ordered meeting of Aspen shareholders to directly considerand vote on Endurance's acquisition proposal.

Aspen says it estimates the number of shares rejecting bothproposals “was at least two-and-a-half times as many as the numberthat consented.”

Aspen says it believes shareholders owning at least 76% ofoutstanding shares did not support the call to increase the size ofApen's board, and those holding at least 81% of outstanding sharesdid not support the scheme of arrangement.

“Of these amounts, shareholders holding more than 60% of Aspen'soutstanding shares took action to affirmatively reject bothproposals on Aspen's blue revocation card,” the company says in astatement.

An Endurance spokesperson declined to comment on Aspen's takeregarding the votes, and declined to offer a reaction to Aspen'sstatement.