County commission races to be decided Tuesday in Panhandle

November 06, 2006|by DAVE McMILLION

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Voting officials in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle are predicting the possibility of a large turnout in Tuesday's general election that will give area residents a chance to make choices in a variety of races, including selecting a county commissioner in each of the three counties.

Along with selecting a county commissioner, voters in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties will get the chance to cast ballots for state House of Delegates candidates and choose between U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., or her Democratic challenger Mike Callaghan.

Voters also will cast ballots in the race between U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., Republican challenger John R. Raese and Mountain Party candidate Jesse Johnson.

Bonnie Woodfall, supervisor of the Berkeley County Voter Registration Office, said she is expecting a good turnout in Berkeley County on Tuesday given the 3,037 voters who cast ballots through early voting.

Woodfall said Berkeley County voting officials are ready for Tuesday's election, and today "messengers" who are assigned to each of the county's 65 precincts will begin taking the necessary supplies to the precincts.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7:30 p.m.

Berkeley County

In Berkeley County, voters will choose between Republican Bill Stubblefield and Democrat Ryan Frankenberry in the race for an open seat on the three-member Berkeley County Commission.

In the 53rd Delegate district, voters will choose between Republican Jonathan Miller and Democrat Jerry L. Burton to represent them in the House of Delegates in Charleston, W.Va.

In the 56th Delegate district, which extends into Jefferson County, the choice for voters will be between Del. Bob Tabb, D-Jefferson, and Republican Earl Wilbourne.

In the 16th state Senatorial district, voters in Berkeley and Jefferson counties will choose between Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley/Jefferson, and Republican challenger Jerry Mays.

Jefferson County

In Jefferson County, voters will choose between Jefferson County Commission member Jane Tabb and Democratic challenger Frances Morgan for a seat on the five-member commission.

In the 57th Delegate district, Del. John Doyle, D-Jefferson, will face Republican challenger Bob Murto, and in the 58th Delegate district, Del. Locke Wysong, D-Jefferson, will go up against Republican Bob Adams.

Jefferson County voters also will decide whether to renew an excess property tax for Jefferson County Schools that is used to generate about $15 million a year to increase salaries for local teachers, fund libraries, pay for textbooks, fund a school nursing program and maintain schools.

For a taxpayer who owns a house that is appraised at $250,000, the levy - which has been in effect since 1946 - costs that person about $650 a year, school officials said.

Morgan County

In Morgan County, voters will choose between Republican Wayne Omps and Democrat Brenda Hutchinson for a seat on the commission.

In the county's 51st Delegate district, Republican Daryl Cowles will face Democrat Gary Lee Nelson.

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