No surprises after canvass of Berkeley County primary results

Results are scheduled to be certified Monday

May 16, 2012|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD | matthew.umstead@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A 2 p.m. deadline on Wednesday for candidates in Berkeley County to ask for a recount of the ballots cast in the May 8 primary election passed without any requests, according to Deputy County Clerk Bonnie Woodfall.

The results are scheduled to be certified Monday by the Berkeley County Council convened as the canvassing board for election results, Woodfall said.

This week’s canvass of more than 10,900 ballots cast did not significantly alter the margin of victory for three of the county’s closest races, according to the canvassing board’s declared, but unofficial results.

Sheriff candidates James W. Barbour III and John Orem each gained seven votes after provisional ballots were added to their final tallies, preserving a 25-vote edge for Barbour, according to the results. Barbour received 2,777 votes and Orem 2,751.

Barbour, a Republican, will run against Democratic incumbent Sheriff Kenneth Lemaster in the general election on Nov. 6. Lemaster easily fended off two challengers in the Democratic Party’s primary, according to the results.

In the 63rd District House of Delegates race, Republican Michael “Mike” Folk gained an additional three votes after canvassing, increasing his margin of victory over Pam Brush to 26 votes. Folk received 485 votes and Brush received 458, according to the results.

Folk will face Democrat Donn Marshall in the general election. Marshall was not opposed for his party’s nomination last week.

In the 60th District House of Delegates race, Republican Larry W. Faircloth also slightly increased his margin of victory over Gary W. Kelley after canvassing. Faircloth received 686 votes and Kelley 583, the results show.

Faircloth gained four votes and Kelley gained one. Faircloth will not have a Democratic opponent in the general election, but individuals still may file as an official write-in candidate or as an independent candidate, according to the secretary of state’s office.

Voter turnout for the primary election was 16.8 percent, according to the results.

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