No major changes in Berkeley Co. election results

November 16, 2006

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The canvassing of ballots cast for the general election in Berkeley County has produced no changes in contested races, according to a summary report of the official results released by County Clerk John W. Small Jr.

U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and state Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, each received 63 percent of the vote in their respective races, garnering the largest margins of victory than any other contested race on the ballot, according to the report. Capito received 12,511 votes and Unger received 11,288, but six precincts in Berkeley County are not included in the 16th State Senatorial District.

Berkeley County Magistrate Jim Humphrey cemented his most narrow of all victories in the election over challenger William "Kirby" Lewis, defeating the Republican by 928 votes, according to the report.

In the race for County Commission, Republican Bill Stubblefield received 54.1 percent, or 10,557 votes, and Democrat Ryan B. Frankenberry received 45.8 percent, or 8,937 votes.

The margin of victory in Berkeley County for Capito (63.5 percent) and Unger (63 percent) was followed by 53rd District Del.-elect Jonathan Miller (58.4 percent), U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd (56.6 percent) and 56th District Del. Bob Tabb (56.2 percent).

Republican and Democratic registered voters cast nearly the same number of straight party ticket ballots, with 3,600 for the GOP and 3,532 for the Democrats.

In uncontested races, the 46 write-in votes cast against incumbent Del. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, were the most of any on the ballot. There were 43 write-ins against Del. Walter Duke, R-Berkeley, and 42 against fellow Berkeley County Republican, Del. John Overington.

The official turnout among the county's 57,733 registered voters was 34.7 percent, or 20,032.

Jefferson County

The Jefferson County Commission is expected to finish its canvass Friday, Commission President Greg Corliss said Wednesday.

The commission still is doing some work related to provisional ballots, and on Friday, a technician from ES&S, the company that provided the county's voting equipment, will run a machine that gave voting officials trouble on election night, Corliss said.

Staff writers Matthew Umstead and Dave McMillion contributed to this story.

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