Turnout expected to be high in General Election
Morgan County voters, like those across the state and nation, will elect a U.S. president, members of Congress, state officials and local office holders in the General Election on November 6.
Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A list of voting places and a sample ballot are in this week’s Morgan Messenger.
A high turnout from the county’s 11,837 registered voters is expected.
Early voting began on Wednesday, October 24. By Monday afternoon, more than 1,000 people had already voted here, according to the Morgan County Clerk’s Office.
In-person early voting at County Clerk’s offices across West Virginia continues until 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 3.
Early voting was canceled in Morgan County and five other counties yesterday, due to the hurricane and snow storms in parts of the state.
High interest races
In addition to the battle between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney for president, there are highly contested races for local and state office.
Bringing out Morgan County voters are hard-fought races for sheriff and Morgan County Commission.
The sheriff’s race finds Republican Vince Shambaugh, the incumbent, challenged by Democrat Larry Bradley. Shambaugh previously defeated Bradley in the 2008 Republican Primary when Bradley ran as a Republican.
In the commission race, Democrat Brenda Hutchinson, the incumbent, is being challenged for a new six-year term by former commissioner Bob Ford. Ford, now a Republican, was a Democrat when elected in 2000.
Republican Ronald McIntire, the incumbent, is being challenged by Democrat John Allen Swaim for assessor. Swaim previously served as assessor, but was defeated by McIntire.
Two magistrates will be elected from the three candidates – Republican incumbents Kermit Ambrose and Greg Miller, and Democrat Debra Ditto. The same candidates were involved in a three-way race in 2008.
High-interest state races include Joe Manchin, the Democrat incumbent, being challenged by Republican John Raese for U.S. Senate. Manchin defeated Raese in a special election two years ago.
Another rematch finds Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat, challenged by Republican Bill Maloney.
For U.S. House of Representatives, Republican incumbent Shelley Moore Capito is challenged by Democrat Howard Swint.
The only ballot question is whether the West Virginia Constitution should be changed so a sheriff can be elected to more than two 4-year terms. Presently, the sheriff, like U.S. President, is limited to two terms.
