| The recount for the Calhoun County Commission race was held beginning at 9:00 on Thursday, November 19, which is the first date it could be held legally. All candidates have to receive a hand-delivered notice of the date and time of the recount three days prior to the actual recount. All candidates were served with their notice by the sheriff’s office on Friday, November 13th.
During a recount you must have teams of 4 people – 2 Democrats and 2 Republicans. The recount begun with one team – Melissa Hixon and Pamela Gainer, Democrats; and Nikki Clark and Anita West, Republicans.
Two of the Commission candidates, Craig Arthur and Matt Walker, were present during the entire process along with the three County Commissioners, the County Clerk and on Thursday, Dot Underwood, a representative from the WV State Secretary of State’s office. In addition to Ms. Underwood, Charlie White, Roane County Clerk also attended on Thursday. The County Clerk and Commission attempted to make the recount as transparent as possible, with all proceeding available through Zoom.
The team worked diligently to complete the recount finishing at 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening. Although some of the precinct numbers changed mainly because of provisional ballots, the totals remained the same.
There has been a question of the placement of candidates on the official ballot. The ballot order is specified in law with the first party on the ballot the party of the sitting president, followed by the parties that receive the most votes. If you are an independent or no-party individual your name must follow all other parties. In Wood County there was a no-party candidate for County Commission whose name was in the fifth position on the ballot and in Wirt County the no-party candidate for sheriff who was placed in the fifth position on the ballot, actually won the race. If anyone would like to see the other counties’ ballot they are available in the County Clerk’s office.
Arthur posted a $300 for bond and was charged $1,200 two day recount.
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