Trending
WEIRTON -- The ballots are set for West Virginia's general election, which will take place Nov. 3.
Hancock County voters will have two local races on their ballots.
Republican Ronnie D. Jones of Weirton, who defeated incumbent Eron Chek in the May primary, will face Democrat Brianne Bates, also of Weirton, for the seat representing the county's Butler District on the commission.
The winner will take office in January.
The other Hancock County race will see Sheena Connors run unopposed for the unexpired term of Hancock County circuit clerk. Connors was appointed to the position earlier this year following the death of Sandy Casto.
Casto was elected to the post in 2022 after being appointed following the death of former clerk Chuck Wright in 2021.
In Brooke County, voters also will have two races on the ballot, both for county commission seats and both unopposed.
Stacey "Hukill" Wise of Follansbee won the Republican primary for the Weirton District seat in May, defeating challenger Kevin Himmelrick. There is no Democratic candidate.
Christina Joy White, a Republican from Wellsburg, is the lone candidate seeking the Follansbee District seat on the commission. White was appointed to the position earlier this year following the resignation of A.J. Thomas in March.
Thomas was elected to his second term in 2024 but announced his plans to step down last September, citing a desire to focus more on his family.
Four of the five seats representing Hancock and Brooke counties in the West Virginia Legislature will be up for election in November.
They include all three local seats in the West Virginia House of Delegates and one seat in the West Virginia Senate. Each race has a challenger.
In the Senate, incumbent Laura Wakim Chapman, a Republican from Wheeling, will be challenged by current Delegate Shawn Fluharty, a Democrat from Wheeling, for the District 1 seat. The district includes all of Hancock, Brooke and Ohio counties, as well as a portion of Marshall County.
All three local House of Delegates seats also will appear on the ballot.
In District 1, which represents much of Hancock County, the eastern portions of Weirton and part of northern Brooke County, incumbent Republican Pat McGeehan of Chester will face Democrat Quincy Wilson of Weirton.
Two potential legislative newcomers are on the ballot for the House District 2 race, representing the western portions of Weirton and much of the unincorporated areas of Brooke County.
Republican Tony Viola will face Democrat Daniel Joseph Day for the seat. Both reside in Weirton.
Viola defeated incumbent Mark Zatezalo in May for the Republican nomination.
The District 3 House seat, which includes Follansbee, Wellsburg and the remaining portions of southern Brooke County, as well as northern Ohio County, will have a three-candidate race.
Republican incumbent Jimmy Willis of Bethany will be challenged by Democratic candidate Mike Robinson of Wellsburg and Dave Cantrell of Wheeling, who filed as an independent candidate.
On the national stage, three candidates are seeking a seat representing West Virginia in the U.S. Senate.
Incumbent Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from Charleston, will face Democrat Rachel Fetty Anderson of Morgantown and S. Marshall Wilson of Gerrardstown, who is representing the Constitution Party.
The winner will be sworn in for a six-year term in the Senate.
Meanwhile, incumbent Riley Moore, a Republican from Harpers Ferry, is seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives for West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which represents much of the northern portion of the state.
He is challenged by Democrat Ace Parsi of Morgantown.
The winner will receive a two-year term in the House.
While the ballots have been set, there is still time for those interested in seeking office to register as write-in candidates.
Eligible individuals may file as a write-in candidate by submitting a certificate of announcement no later than Sept. 15 to qualify for the general election ballot.
Those who are not registered to vote or wish to make a change in their voting status must do so no later than Oct. 13.
The official early voting period is Oct. 21-31, with voters casting their ballots at their respective county clerk's offices.