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By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@
newstribune.info
Tribune Managing
Editor
KEYSER – A flurry of last-minute filings on Thursday and Friday have blown the race for the Mineral County Board of Education wide open and resulted in two Republicans who will be vying for the right to challenge the incumbent county commissioner in November, according to county clerk Lauren Ellifritz.
In addition, a candidate has filed to challenge the incumbent sheriff on the Democratic primary ballot, with the winner to face off against a Republican challenger in November.
Ellifritz reminds the public, however, that the list of candidates is not official until any papers that might have been postmarked by midnight Saturday are received in her office.
“It could be Tuesday or Wednesday before we know for sure,” she said.
The race for the two seats on the board of education could get complicated. A total of seven people have filed, but who the winner is will depend upon which district they represent.
The seats coming open are those currently held by Mary Aronhalt, who is in District 1, and Craig Rotruck, who is in District 2. The remaining three board members, whose seats are not coming open this year, are each from a different district – Terry LaRue, District 1; Lara Courrier, District 2; and Kevin Watson, District 3.
According to state law, there can be no more than two members of the board from any one district.
With three of the seven candidates being from District 3, for example, if two of them were top vote-getters, only the single top vote-getter would get elected because there is already a representative from District 3. The next highest vote-getter in a different district would be declared the winner.
The same could occur in each district.
The candidates, and the districts they represent, are:
District 1: William “Butch” Wah and Gary Nelson Jr.
District 2: Craig A. Rotruck and Todd A. Simpson.
District 3: Alex McDonald, Charlie Messick, and Eric A. Mull.
Another issue facing two candidates for the board of education is centered around the fact that Wahl is presently a member of the Republican Executive Committee and Messick is a member of the Democratic Executive Committee.
According to state law, should either candidate win his race, he must resign from the political position he holds. The board of education is a non-partisan governing body.
In the race for county commission, Leon P. Ravenscroft II and Jerry E. Whisner will be facing each other on the Republican ticket, with the winner to challenge incumbent Democrat Cindy Pyles in November.
In the race for sheriff, D. Craig Courtney will be challenging incumbent Craig Fraley on the Democratic primary ticket, with the winner to face Republican Jeremy Taylor in the general election.
The other county races are as follows:
Assessor: Incumbent Rose Ann Maine, Republican.
Magistrate: Incumbent David C. Harman and Damon Tillman, Republican; incumbent Sue Roby, Democrat.
Prosecuting attorney: Incumbent Jay Courrier, Republican.
Conservation supervisor: Kent Spencer.
The following have filed candidacy papers in the West Virginia Secretary of State's office:
Bob Williams – Incumbent Democrat - 14th Senatorial District.
Craig Blair – Republican - 15th Senatorial District.
Allen V. Evans – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 54 (formerly 48th District).
Gary Howell – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 56 (formerly 49th District)
Jim Maybury – Democrat – House of Delegates District 56 (formerly 49th District).
Ruth Rowan – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 57 (formerly 50th District).
Terry Craver - Republican – House of Delegates District 57 (formerly 50th District).
Again, there may be updates due to any candidates who may file on Saturday.
In other races of interest, Sen. Joe Manchin has filed for reelection, and will be challenged on the Democratic ballot by Sheirl Fletcher of Morgantown. Republican John R. Raese of Morgantown has also filed.
In the First Congressional District, incumbent Republican David B. McKinley has filed for reelection, and will be challenged in November by Democrat Sue Thorn of Wheeling.
Sen. Walt Helmick, who presently represents the 15th Senatorial District, has filed to run for commissioner of agriculture. A Democrat, he will face Joe Messineo of Spencer, Bob Tabb of Kearneysville, and Steve Miller of Fort Ashby in the primary election. The winner will face off against Republican Mike Teets of Lost River.
The primary election is slated for May 8, while the general election is Nov. 6.
By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@
newstribune.info
Tribune Managing
Editor
KEYSER – A flurry of last-minute filings on Thursday and Friday have blown the race for the Mineral County Board of Education wide open and resulted in two Republicans who will be vying for the right to challenge the incumbent county commissioner in November, according to county clerk Lauren Ellifritz.
In addition, a candidate has filed to challenge the incumbent sheriff on the Democratic primary ballot, with the winner to face off against a Republican challenger in November.
Ellifritz reminds the public, however, that the list of candidates is not official until any papers that might have been postmarked by midnight Saturday are received in her office.
“It could be Tuesday or Wednesday before we know for sure,” she said.
The race for the two seats on the board of education could get complicated. A total of seven people have filed, but who the winner is will depend upon which district they represent.
The seats coming open are those currently held by Mary Aronhalt, who is in District 1, and Craig Rotruck, who is in District 2. The remaining three board members, whose seats are not coming open this year, are each from a different district – Terry LaRue, District 1; Lara Courrier, District 2; and Kevin Watson, District 3.
According to state law, there can be no more than two members of the board from any one district.
With three of the seven candidates being from District 3, for example, if two of them were top vote-getters, only the single top vote-getter would get elected because there is already a representative from District 3. The next highest vote-getter in a different district would be declared the winner.
The same could occur in each district.
The candidates, and the districts they represent, are:
District 1: William “Butch” Wah and Gary Nelson Jr.
District 2: Craig A. Rotruck and Todd A. Simpson.
District 3: Alex McDonald, Charlie Messick, and Eric A. Mull.
Another issue facing two candidates for the board of education is centered around the fact that Wahl is presently a member of the Republican Executive Committee and Messick is a member of the Democratic Executive Committee.
According to state law, should either candidate win his race, he must resign from the political position he holds. The board of education is a non-partisan governing body.
In the race for county commission, Leon P. Ravenscroft II and Jerry E. Whisner will be facing each other on the Republican ticket, with the winner to challenge incumbent Democrat Cindy Pyles in November.
In the race for sheriff, D. Craig Courtney will be challenging incumbent Craig Fraley on the Democratic primary ticket, with the winner to face Republican Jeremy Taylor in the general election.
The other county races are as follows:
Assessor: Incumbent Rose Ann Maine, Republican.
Magistrate: Incumbent David C. Harman and Damon Tillman, Republican; incumbent Sue Roby, Democrat.
Prosecuting attorney: Incumbent Jay Courrier, Republican.
Conservation supervisor: Kent Spencer.
The following have filed candidacy papers in the West Virginia Secretary of State's office:
Bob Williams – Incumbent Democrat - 14th Senatorial District.
Craig Blair – Republican - 15th Senatorial District.
Allen V. Evans – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 54 (formerly 48th District).
Gary Howell – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 56 (formerly 49th District)
Jim Maybury – Democrat – House of Delegates District 56 (formerly 49th District).
Ruth Rowan – Incumbent Republican – House of Delegates District 57 (formerly 50th District).
Terry Craver - Republican – House of Delegates District 57 (formerly 50th District).
Again, there may be updates due to any candidates who may file on Saturday.
In other races of interest, Sen. Joe Manchin has filed for reelection, and will be challenged on the Democratic ballot by Sheirl Fletcher of Morgantown. Republican John R. Raese of Morgantown has also filed.
In the First Congressional District, incumbent Republican David B. McKinley has filed for reelection, and will be challenged in November by Democrat Sue Thorn of Wheeling.
Sen. Walt Helmick, who presently represents the 15th Senatorial District, has filed to run for commissioner of agriculture. A Democrat, he will face Joe Messineo of Spencer, Bob Tabb of Kearneysville, and Steve Miller of Fort Ashby in the primary election. The winner will face off against Republican Mike Teets of Lost River.
The primary election is slated for May 8, while the general election is Nov. 6.
