Mercer County voters cast their ballots in local 2024 Primary Election races
May 15—By GREG JORDAN
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON — Mercer County's registered voters went to the polls Tuesday and cast ballots in local races for circuit court judges, family judges, county commissioners, the sheriff, prosecuting attorney, the board of education and the county assessor as well as for delegates and senators in the West Virginia Legislature.
Votes cast Tuesday during the 2024 May Primary in West Virginia were added as they arrived at the Mercer County Courthouse to early votes and absentee votes which were cast before Election Day. A
All of the county's 44 precincts reported their results Tuesday evening. The results will remain unofficial until the votes are canvassed on May 20 at 9 a.m. in the Mercer County Courthouse.
Races on the county's ballot included one for a seat on the Mercer County Commission.
Several candidates ran for the Republican nomination for the Mercer County Commission's District 2 seat. Unofficial results Tuesday showed candidates for the District 2 seat with the following number of votes: — Republican Brian Blankenship had 2,486 votes. — Republican Carl Calfee 1,510 votes. — Republican Stephanie Dempsey had 1,225 votes. — Republican Jeremiah Nelson had 752. — Republican Karen Champion Pendleton had 698 votes.
In another Mercer County race, Paul Hodges ran in the non-partisan Division 3 Mercer County Board of Education race. Jim Bailey ran for Division 1 on the board of education. Hodges received 5,420 votes and Bailey had 6,447 votes. There were 10 write-in votes.
Alan Christian, who filed as a Republican to run for sheriff of Mercer County, ran unopposed. Christian received 6,042 votes.
Incumbent Republican Prosecuting Attorney Brian Cochran, also ran unopposed. Cochran received 6,102 votes.
Six candidates ran in the non-partisan magistrate race.
Incumbent Magistrate William Holroyd ran against candidates Alvin Marchant and Sandra Dorsey for Division 5 on the magistrate court. Holroyd received 4,327 votes. Dorsey received 3,896 votes. Marchant received 1,229 votes. There were 10 write-in votes.
Incumbent Magistrates Mike Crowder (Division 4) received 8,134 votes. Keith Compton (Division 3) received 8,122 votes. Mike Flanigan (Division 1) received 8,797 votes and Susan Honaker (Division 2) received 8,421 votes.
Incumbent Circuit Court Judges William J. Sadler (Division 2) and Mark Wills (Division 3) ran for re-election in the nonpartisan Judicial Circuit 13. Sadler received 9,052 votes and Wills received 9,118 votes.
In Division 1 of the 13th Judicial Circuit race, the candidates were Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kelli Harshbarger, attorney Derrick Lefler and attorney Ryan Flanigan. The judgeship became vacant when Circuit Court Judge Derek Swope retired on Dec. 31, 2023.
Unofficial results Tuesday showed Flanigan with 4,119 votes, Harshbarger with 3,403 votes and Lefler with 2,614 votes.
Several candidates ran for the nonpartisan 12th Family Court, Division 2, which serves both Mercer County and McDowell County.
Angela Walters, who was appointed by Gov. Jim Justice in November 2023, ran to retain the judgeship. Cathy Wallace also ran for the 12th Circuit Family Court, Division 2 along with attorney Adam B. Wolfe.
Unofficial results Tuesday showed Wolfe with 3,829 votes, Wallace with 3,045 votes and Walters with 2,585 votes.
Anthony Bisaha ran for Family Court Circuit 12, Division 1. Bisaha received 8,179 votes,
Lisa Kay Clark ran Family Court Circuit 12, Division 3. Clark received 8,262 votes.
Incumbent Republican Marty Gearheart of Bluefield ran for re-election in the House of Delegates District 37 contest. Democrat Polla McClelllan Rumberg of Bluefield also ran for her party's nomination.
Unofficial results Tuesday showed Gearheart with 1,582 votes. Rumberg had 648 votes.
Incumbent Republican Joe Ellington Jr. ran for re-election in the House of Delegates District 38 race. Democrat Randa C. Faulkner of Princeton also ran for the Democratic Party's nomination.
Unofficial results Tuesday showed Elllington with 2,011 votes and Faulkner with 708 votes.
Incumbent Republican Delegate Doug Smith ran for re-election the House of Delegates District 39 contest. Democrat Neal Vestal of Rock also ran for his party's nomination.
Unofficial totals Tuesday showed Smith with 2,214 votes and Vestal with 708 votes.
In the race for assessor, Republican Tommy Bailey received 4,797 votes and incumbent Republican assessor Lyle Cottle received 2,247.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
