We know that Republicans scored big (or at least maintained their advantage) in statewide and legislative races in the General Election earlier this month, but what about county races? Patti Hamilton, the executive director of the West Virginia Association of Counties, has broken down the races for assessor, circuit clerk, county clerk, county commission, prosecutor and sheriff in all 55 counties. Here’s what she found:
— The biggest turnover was in the position for sheriff, where there are 29 new office holders. However, Hamilton points out that’s due in part to term limits that prevent the sheriff from serving more than two consecutive terms.
— The highest turnover after sheriff was for county commission. Fifty-six of the 169 commission positions were open and 34 (61 percent) of the positions were filled by a new face.
— West Virginia has 19 new assessors, 12 new circuit clerks, 13 new county clerks, 34 new commissioners, 14 new prosecutors and 29 new sheriffs, for a total of 121 new county office holders. Of those 121, 63 are Democrats and 58 are Republicans.
— Of the 19 new assessors, 11 are Democrat and 8 Republican. The 12 new circuit clerks are split evenly between the two parties. Eight of the new county clerks are Democrats and five are Republicans. Twenty-one of the 34 new commissioners are Republicans and 13 are Democrats. Of the 14 new prosecutors, eight are Republicans and five are Democrats. Twenty of the 29 new sheriffs are Democrats and nine are Republicans.
— Democrats hold all county offices in eleven counties: Boone, Brooke, Calhoun, Clay, Logan, Marion, McDowell, Mingo, Ohio, Webster and Wetzel. Republicans hold all offices in eight counties: Doddridge, Grant, Mineral, Morgan, Preston, Putnam, Tyler and Upshur.
— The biggest changes came in Grant, Harrison, Jefferson, Mercer, Morgan, Nicholas, Wirt and Wood counties; each elected four new county officials. Only Gilmer County had no change in county officials; all incumbents were re-elected.
— Jefferson County was tough on former legislators. Outgoing Democratic State Senator Herb Snyder lost his bid for county clerk. Dale Manuel, a Democratic former House of Delegates member, lost his race for re-election to the county commission.
— Outgoing Cabell County House of Delegates member Jim Morgan had better luck; he won a commission seat. Wayne County Democrat Rick Thompson, a former Speaker of the House of Delegates, was elected Sheriff.
— In Fayette County, Democratic incumbent commissioner John Lopez, who had held the seat for 36 years, was defeated by Republican John Breneman, becoming the first Republican elected to a county office there since the 1920s.
And finally, Hamilton says she’s retiring June 30th after serving in that capacity for 20 years. Hamilton has been a strong, professional voice for the West Virginia Association of Counties. She will be missed.