by Kate Shunney
The close of candidate filing for the 2026 election season brought additional names to the list of state residents who are seeking elected office in Morgan County and across West Virginia during this mid-term race.
As of press time, the following individuals had filed in the Morgan County Clerk’s office to run for non-partisan office:
- Vincent Shambaugh for Morgan County Magistrate, district 2,
- Michael Sullivan for Morgan County Magistrate, district 2
- Nelson Jacobsen for Eastern Panhandle Conservation District Supervisor,
- Adam Cook for Eastern Panhandle Conservation District Supervisor,
- Laurie Dieffenbach for Morgan County School Board,
- Justin Litten for Morgan County School Board,
- Ronald “Ronnie” Stotler for Morgan County School Board,
- Alice Lantz for Morgan County School Board,
- Laura Smith for Morgan County School Board,
- Pam Hessler for Morgan County School Board,
- John P. Kannofsky for Morgan County School Board.
As of press time, the following individuals had filed in the Morgan County Clerk’s office to run for office in the partisan primary:
- Joel Tuttle, Republican, for Morgan County Commission,
- Kristin Priscilla Jones, Republican, for Morgan County Commission,
- Judith Shumate, Democrat, for Morgan County Commission.
District & state office
As of press time, the following individuals had filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State for district office representing our area or statewide office in our district:
- Darren Thorne, Republican, for State Senate, 15th district (Morgan, Berkeley, Hampshire, Mineral)
- Ken Reed, Republican, for State Senate, 15th district
- Elizabeth Ferris, Democrat, for State Senate, 15th district
- Robert Wolford, Republican, for State Senate, 15th district
- John R. Zupan, Democrat, for House of Delegates, 89th district
- David Cannon, Republican, for House of Delegates, 89th district
- Ashley Braner, Democrat, for House of Delegates, 90th district
- Dan Caldwell, Republican, for House of Delegates, 90th district
- David Jones, Republican, for House of Delegates, 90th district
- Kevin McLaughlin, Republican, for House of Delegates, 90th district
- George Miller, Republican, for House of Delegates, 90th
Federal offices
As of press time, the following individuals had filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State to run for federal offices in our district:
- Steven Wendelin, Democrat, for U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional district,
- Riley Moore, Republican, for U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional district,
- Ace Parsi, Democrat, for U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional district,
- Stephanie Spears Tomana, Democrat, for U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional district,
- Rachel Anderson, Democrat, for U.S. Senate,
- Thornton Cooper, Democrat, for U.S. Senate,
- Jeffrey Kessler, Democrat, for U.S. Senate
- Rio Phillips, Democrat, for U.S. Senate,
- Zachary Shrewsbury, Democrat, for U.S. Senate,
- Shelley Moore Capito, Republican, for U.S. Senate,
- Alexander Gaaserud, Republican, for U.S. Senate,
- Janet McNulty, Republican, for U.S. Senate,
- David Purkey, Republican, for U.S. Senate,
- Tom Willis, Republican, for U.S. Senate.
For more information on elections in West Virginia, how to register to vote, how to vote by absentee, or how to update your voter registration, visit GoVoteWV.com — the official website of the WV Secretary of State’s Office – or visit the Morgan County Clerk’s office in the courthouse or call them at 304-258-8547.
