CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s more evidence that elected officials in West Virginia are dealing with an angry electorate. There were no less than 20 incumbents upset in county races during Tuesday’s primary election.
The changes were across the board, West Virginia Association of Counties Executive Director Patti Hamilton told MetroNews Friday.
The existing officeholders defeated included eight county commissioners, five prosecutors, two sheriffs, two assessors, two county clerks and one circuit clerk.
“This is unusual and considering this is just the primary election–I expect to see more changes in the general (election),” Hamilton said.
It’s even more rare for a county clerk or a circuit clerk to lose in a primary, according to Hamilton.
There were wholesale changes in some counties including Mingo and Nicholas.
The elections are further proof West Virginia is going through a transition, Hamilton said.
“I think it’s indicative of really a changing political and governmental landscape in West Virginia,” she said. “It didn’t really reach local government two years ago. It’s not necessarily Republican and Democrat—it’s more just change.”
Every 12 years every county office is up for reelection with the exception of two county commissioners. There are a total of 444 elected county officials, not including those in the judicial system. Of those 444, 84 decided not to run for reelection this year.
There remain two races that could be impacted by next week’s vote canvassing. In Ritchie County, two Republican candidates are running for an open sheriff’s seat. There are two votes separating the two. In Ohio County, three votes separate two Republicans running for sheriff.