6:00: Morning News

Voter patience may play role in Supreme Court race

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With less than a week to go before the May 10 Primary Election in West Virginia some candidates in non-partisan races are urging voters to complete what can be a long ballot.

The partisan races are listed above the non-partisan races which means state Supreme Court is for the first time at the bottom of the ballot. This is the first year the race is non-partisan.

“At the bottom of the ballot will mean fewer people do vote for it and being non-partisan means some people who have traditionally depended upon the benefit of straight ticket voting won’t get the benefit of that anymore,” Supreme Court candidate Darrell McGraw said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline”.

The Republican ballot is longer than the Democratic ballot because there are approximately 220 candidates vying to be delegates to the Republican National Convention. Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin, a candidate for reelection, said the ballot is very long in some counties.

“I was up in Tyler County and I think they said the judicial races are like on page 19 or 20 on about a 24-page ballot,” Benjamin said.

Other Supreme Court candidates, which include Beth Walker, Wayne King and Bill Wooten, have also been telling voters where they can find the Supreme Court race.

“As a candidate, we’re just concerned about trying to get our message out, trying to get to as many people as we can,” Benjamin said.

There is one seat on the Supreme Court up for final election May 12. The winner will receive a 12-year term that begins next January.