The May 10 election is a combination of a final election for School Board and primary elections for US Congress, WV Senate, WV Delegate, and Jefferson County Commission.
An Early Decision In May
While many candidates on the Democratic and Republican ballots are running unopposed in their races, the outcome of many of the contested Republican primary races will likely determine who will win in the November election, given the expected partisan lean of the Congressional and West Virginia legislature districts.
Chose A Ballot
All ballots will include the School Board race. Voters who are registered as Democrats or Republicans will automatically be given a party-specific ballot. Voters who have not registered with a party affiliation (“independents”) can request either of the party-specific ballots if they are interested in any of the contested primary races. The choice of a primary ballot does not have any effect on a voter’s registration or how they can vote in November.
School Board
All voters can select up to 3 candidates on their ballot. The three candidates with the most votes will serve four year terms starting July 1. The candidates for school board are (in ballot order): Andrea Elliot, Kathryn Skinner, Barbara Fuller, Tiffani Sheppard, Joyce E. Smith, Carmen Taylor-Bratton, and Laurie Ogden. You can view bios and information from all these candidates online at WeAreTheObserver.com/2022-elections-meet-boe-candidates.
[READ MORE: Pick a Ballot, Where to Vote, Voter ID]
US Congress
West Virginia lost one of its seats in Congress after the 2020 Census and there are two incumbents running in the newly drawn 2nd District which stretches across the northern half of the state. David McKinley founded an engineering business and has been active in West Virginia politics since 1980, as a Delegate for 14 years and as Chair of the state Republican party for 4 years. He was elected to Congress in 2011. McKinley is endorsed by Governor Jim Justice.
Alexander Mooney worked as a Congressional staffer and for a DC-based political organization. He also served for 12 years in the Maryland Senate and as chair of the Maryland state Repubican party before moving to West Virginia in 2014 to run for the House seat that opened up when Shelley Moore Capito ran for US Senate. Mooney is endorsed by Donald Trump.
There are three non-incumbents running for Congress on the Republican ballot: Rhonda Hercules, Susan Buchser-Lochocki, and Mike Seckman. On the Democratic ballot, there are two candidates running for Congress: Angela Dwyer and Barry Lee Wendell.
State & Local Candidates
Jefferson County will elect one state Senator and four state Delegates in November. For the May election, only the Senate and two of the Delegate races are contested in the Republican primary (none are contested in the Democratic primary). There are two seats up for election on the County Commission, both contested in the Republican primary (neither are contested in the Democratic primary).
WV Senate
There are two Republican candidates running for Senate District 16. Jason Barrett is currently serving in the House of Delegates. Rene Wibly is president of the Berkeley County Republican Club. There is no Democratic candidate running in the primary for this district.
WV House of Delegates (District 97)
There are two Republican candidates running for this district: John Hardy is currently serving in the House of Delegates. Alonzo Perry II is a challenger. Philip Wenner, the Democratic candidate, is unopposed in the primary.
WV House of Delegates (District 100)
There are three Republican candidates running for this district: Steve Harris, Bill Ridenour, and Pasha Majdi. Susan Benzinger, the Democratic candidate, is unopposed in the primary.
County Commission
There are two seats on the County Commission up for election in 2022. Clare Anne Ath and David Tabb are running for the Republican nomination from the “Charles Town” district and Glenn Gargan and Jennifer Krouse are running for the Republican nomination from the “Shepherdstown” district. John Doyle and Dale Manuel are the Democratic candidates, both running unopposed in the primary election.
[READ MORE: Choose a Ballot, Where to Vote, Voter ID]
By Staff Contributor