Editor’s note: This post was submitted by the candidate. To introduce local candidates to My Buckhannon readers, each may email us one free candidacy announcement/biography for publication by March 31, 2024. Read our full election guidelines by clicking here.

Hello, I am Mark Davis, and I am currently the incumbent Magistrate in Upshur County – Division 1. There’s no question that 2024 is an important election year on many fronts. As you head to the polls on May 14, I am asking for your trust, confidence and vote to continue serving as Magistrate.

When it comes to making a lasting impact on our community, I believe strongly that experience matters. Drawing on my 34-year career with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department and my past three years as Magistrate, I am committed to providing fair and impartial judgments in the cases brought before me and ensuring that our local court is rooted in integrity and accountability. People deserve to have their cases adjudicated in a timely manner while being treated equally with dignity and respect.

The Magistrate Court overall has made tremendous progress. From implementing systematic processes to fostering professional and ethical interactions, I’ve demonstrated my dedication to quality and efficiency. The court does not have a backlog, we’re compliant with all state requirements, and we’ve been selected as a mentoring court where other newly appointed and elected magistrates can come observe and learn. We’ve created a more positive culture within the court that has raised morale and improved collaboration within the courthouse functions as well.

In addition to my regular case load, I was appointed to the role of representative magistrate for the Upshur County Drug Court Team in 2021. Throughout my career, I have had many opportunities to help citizens work to overcome crime and substance abuse challenges. It’s been an honor to continue serving in this way as magistrate, helping members of our community focus on rehabilitation to repair relationships in their families and their futures.

As an active member of our community, I know our county well – its challenges as well as its opportunities. My wife, Brenda, and I have lived in Tennerton for more than three decades. Our daughters, LeAnne Morrison and Laura Ellis, grew up as proud Buccaneers and now reside in Atlanta, Georgia and Scott Depot, West Virginia. Upshur County is a great place to live and raise a family, and I love it when my five grandchildren, Campbell, Paxton, Deacon, Maggie and Dodge, come to visit. This is the place we all call home, and that’s why I’m asking for your vote to continue serving you as Magistrate — Division 1. 

I take my duty seriously both as a citizen of Upshur County and as an officer of the justice system, and with every case that is closed, I am doing my part to help Upshur County become a safer, stronger place to live. Vote Mark for Magistrate in May.

For more information on my campaign and platform, please visit https://www.facebook.com/M4M2024.