PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Progress is being made in Wood County on changing the ballot to reflect the recent death of Del. Frank Deem.
Wood County Clerk Mark Rhodes said the county’s Republican Executive Committee moved quickly last week after Deem’s death and submitted the name of former Del. Tom Azinger to replace Deem on the ballot in the 10th Delegate District race. Rhodes said the move was certified by the Secretary of State’s Office by Friday.
“Once it was certified with them we sent it to our ballot printers and they worked the weekend and got everything to us Monday afternoon,” Rhodes told MetroNews Wednesday.
Rhodes’ office has sent out 106 new ballots with Azinger’s name on it to residents who had previously been sent ballots with Deem’s name listed.
“With a letter of explanation outlining that if they voted the (new ballot) and returned it we would count the second ballot and if not, we count the first ballot,” Rhodes said.
“We’re keeping track of those so we know which ones to counts.”
Rhodes said those who didn’t vote for Deem don’t have to vote again.
Rhodes had already received 21 ballots back by Wednesday morning.
Rhodes said he’s fortunate that he had only had the ballot including Deem’s name burned into the 20 touch screen voting machines used in early voting that starts next Wednesday. He said those are being redone. The machines used in the Nov. 6 General Election had not yet been set up so they will reflect the new ballot.
Deem, 90, died last Wednesday. He served a total of 48 years in the legislature.
The 10th Delegate District has approximately 40 of Wood County’s 69 precincts.