Primary election day is Tuesday:
Early voting continues through Saturday at 911 center
The Jackson Star News, Thursday, May 4, 2006, pp. A-1 and A-2

By Mike Ruben
Jackson Newspapers

RIPLEY-- Tuesday, May 9 is primary election day in Jackson County and West Virginia.

Voters will be electing three members to the Jackson County Board of Education, and party members will be making their ballot choices for the November General Election.

Early voting hours will be in effect today (Thursday) and Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Early voting is taking place in the basement of the 9-1-1 center on Maple Street in Ripley.

On Tuesday, polling sites around Jackson County will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. New electronic voting machines will be used for this election.

Winners in the non-partisan Board of Education race will take office in July. Candidates in those races are featured below. Incumbents Jo Boggess Phillips and Steve Wedge are seeking re-election to represent the Western District. Due to district limitations on the Board, only the top vote-getter between incumbent Carroll Staats and former board member Cissy McCoy McNabb may represent the Northern District.

There are county commission races in both parties. The eventual winner will be replacing Democrat Ginny Starcher, who is not seeking re-election.

Democrats will be selecting either Joe Pitts or Steve Donahew. Republicans will be choosing either Mike Randolph of Given or Dean Fisher of Sandyville.

On the national ticket, long-time Senator Robert C. Byrd is being challenged in the primary by Billy Hendricks, Jr. of Whitesville. Mike Callaghan, Mark Hunt and Richie Robb are squaring off in the the race for the 2nd Congressional District.

On the state ticket, Democrats will be choosing between Jim Lees of Scott Depot and Mary Lee of Poca in the 4th State Senatorial District.

In the 13th House District, three Democrats are vying for two spots on the November ballot. That includes incumbents Brady Paxton of Liberty and Dale Martin of Poca along with Greg Barker of Leon.

Steve Nicholas is unopposed in the primary for the 12th District House of [Delegates].

There are six Republicans in contention for the U.S. Senate race. Incumbent Shelley Moore Capito is unopposed in the primary in her bid for re-election to Congress.

Incumbent Mitch Carmichael of Ripley is being challenged by Randy Fisher of Ripley. Mike Hall is unopposed on the GOP ticked for the Fourth Senatorial District as is Bob Ashley for 11th District House of Delegates and Penny Renee Dick in the 13th House of Delegates District