Sunday's Internet Edition, September 07, 2008.
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Publisher The three judges that serve Roane County and both state senators up for re-election will get a free pass in their bids for re-election.
The only district candidate with any opposition is House of Delegates member Bob Ashley, and the status of that challenge is up in the air.
No Democrats filed to oppose Ashley, a Spencer Republican seeking his 12th two-year term in the legislature. Ashley served from 1984-1996 before he was defeated in 1998. He returned to office in 2000 and has been re-elected three more times.
Mark Myers, a chiropractor who works in Calhoun and Roane counties, did file as a candidate from the Mountain Party.
Myers filed Saturday, the last day of the two-week filing period.
The secretary of state’s office lists Myers’ address as Mt. Zion, in Calhoun County, which is not part of the district. The 11th District includes all of Roane and a few precincts in Jackson County.
When contacted by the newspaper, Myers said he lives in Spencer. Property records in the Roane County Clerk’s office show he owns a home in the Alvord area.
A check of the voters’ registration records showed Myers is registered to vote in Calhoun County.
The same record showed he was registered as a Democrat, not in the Mountain Party. Candidates are prohibited from changing their party affiliation within 60 days of filing for office.
Roane County Clerk Charlie White said the secretary of state’s office was looking into the matter.
No candidates from either party filed against circuit judges Tom Evans III, a Republican from Ripley, or David Nibert, a Democrat from Point Pleasant. The 5th Judicial Circuit includes Calhoun, Jackson, Mason and Roane counties.
Family Court Judge Larry Whited, a Republican from Grantsville, also has no opposition. The 4th Family Court Circuit includes Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer and Roane, although starting Jan. 1 Ritchie will replace Doddridge in the circuit.
A challenger did file, at least for a short time, for the State Senate seat in the 4th District held by Jackson County Republican Karen Facemyer. Democrat John Roach of Mason County filed on Friday but withdrew his candidacy Monday. The district also includes Putnam and part of Roane.
The other portion of Roane is in the 3rd Senatorial District, where Republican Donna Boley of Pleasants County is running without opposition. That district also has Wood and Wirt counties.
Including time in the House, Boley has served in the legislature since 1986 and Facemyer since 1992.
