32% of Marion County voters cast ballots Tuesday

May 14—FAIRMONT — Registered voters in West Virginia went to the polls Tuesday and cast 183,464 ballots for a statewide turnout of 15.53 percent.

Prior to Tuesday's voting, more than 90,000 ballots had been cast in West Virginia's ahead of Election Day, according to West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner. Of that total, 84,648 were ballots cast during Early Voting and 6,212 absentee ballots had been received by county clerks statewide. Warner said absentee totals for the 2024 Primary Election will continue to increase as postmarked absentee ballots will be accepted until the start of canvass on May 20.

With 65 of 65 precincts reported on the West Virginia Secretary of State website, here are Marion County balloting results. All votes are considered unofficial until they are canvassed on May 20. Marion County voters cast 12,045 ballots Tuesday and had a 32.22% voter turnout. There are 37,380 registered voters in Marion County.

One of the most-watched races in Marion County was the race to fill the Division 2 Marion County Circuit Court Judgeship currently held by Judge David Janes who is retiring. Fairmont defense attorney and former Fairmont City Councilmember Matt Delligatti has 6,502 votes, attorney Craig Erhard has 2,824 votes and attorney Marion County Attorney Chuck Shields has 1,950 votes. Because the positions are non-partisan, the top vote-getter wins the seat.

In the other judgeship election, Marion County Circuit Court Judge Patrick Wilson was unopposed.

In Tuesday's balloting, Marion County Commission President Ernie VanGilder, the incumbent Republican, has 2,461 votes, challenger Guy Ward has 2,131 votes and Alan L. Parks has 1,480 votes for the Palatine District seat on county commission. VanGilder will likely face Democrat Sherman Sapp, of Fairmont, in the November general Election.

Two Republican candidates faced off for Marion County Sheriff. Roger Cunningham has 3,258 votes, while Donnie Wheeler has 2,979 votes. No Democrat filed to run for sheriff. Incumbent Sheriff Jimmy Riffle is prohibited from running again due a law limiting the sheriff's position serving to two, four-year terms in a row. Riffle's current term, his second of two, ends Dec. 31.

In the race for Marion County Assessor, incumbent Mark Trach is the sole Democrat to file paperwork for that office, however, two Republican candidates have entered the race.

Tom Dowtin, of Farmington, who works in the Assessor's office received 1,911 votes and Jason Smith, of Fairmont, received 3,567 votes. The winner will face Trach in November.

Incumbent Division 1 Magistrate Brian Shuck, incumbent Division 2 Magistrate Missy Pride Linger and incumbent Division 4 Magistrate Toddy Anthony Rundle did not have opposition Tuesday. However for the Division 3 Magistrate post, Carrie McCoy Biddle received 5,240 votes while incumbent Magistrate Brian Stewart received 5,082 votes.

For Marion County Board of Education, incumbent James Saunders has 4,330 votes to retain his Middletown District seat while his opponent Bill Burdick has received 1,990 votes.

Candidate Kim Middlemas has 4,283 votes and Kevin W. Rogers has 4,488 votes in the race to fill the Palatine District seat on the board of education. Former Marion County Health Department Administrator Lloyd White came out fourth in balloting with 3,978 votes for the West Augusta seat on the board of education.

There are 5 members on the Board of Education and there are 3 districts in Marion County — Palatine, Middletown and West Augusta. No single district can have more than 2 members serving at a time to ensure one district did not have a majority of the board's seats. Donna Costello (West Augusta), Tom Dragich (Middletown) and George Boyles (Palatine) are not up for election.

So, if the numbers are accurate, it appears Rogers and White will be joining the board of education along with Saunders who was re-elected.

On state-level offices, for Senate District 2, which includes part of northwestern Marion County, a newcomer Chris Rose, of Maidsville, W.Va. who called himself true conservative in the race, Rose was ahead in balloting with 3,014 votes against incumbent Sen. Mike Maroney who has 1,015 votes.

In the race for House of Delegates seat District 75 currently held by Del. Phil Mallow, of Fairmont, the incumbent is slightly ahead with 1,119 votes while his challenger, former Fairmont City Councilmember Karl David Kennedy has 856 votes at press time. The winner in May will face off in the November General Election with middle school teacher Stephanie Tomana, a Democrat.

Two Democrats and two Republicans will face off in the House District 76 race. Former Fairmont Mayor Tom Mainella received 531 votes in a race with former Marion County Commissioner Rick Garcia who has 1,084 votes so far. The seat came open after incumbent Del. Joey Garcia filed to run for West Virginia Senate. Rick Garcia is Joey Garcia's uncle. The Republican and Democrat winners will face off in November.

On the Republican side for House District 78, Fairmont State University Chief Technologist Jon Dodds, of Fairmont, is currently ahead in balloting with 833 votes, while his opponent, fellow Republican Toby Heaney, of Fairview, has 741 votes.

In the Marion County Family Court Judge's race, Susan Riffle was unopposed.

There were two levies on the ballot, one for the county's 13 volunteer fire departments and a second for the Marion County Humane Society. Voters were also asked to vote on a bond for the Marion County Board of Education.

Thus far in ballot counting, the fire levy has 7,258 votes, or 61.8% for and 4,486 votes, or 38.2% against. The Humane Society levy has 6,831 votes, or 57.96% for and 4,955 votes, or 42.04% against. The school bond received 6,850 votes, or 57.83% for and 4,966 votes, or 42.17% against.

Reach Eric Cravey at 304-367-2523.