Local candidate filings as of Jan. 18 for city, county and state offices

Monica Zalaznik
January 18, 2022

BUCKHANNON – City and county candidates interested in running in the May 2022 Primary Election have begun to file for office.

The in-person filing period began Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, and continues through noon on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. Filings by U.S. mail must be postmarked by midnight Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

The city will have two city council seats available for four-year terms, and those positions are currently occupied by councilman David Thomas and councilwoman Shelia Lewis-Sines. The city recorder position will also be up for election for a four-year term, and that seat is currently occupied by Randy Sanders. The city had four filings for city council seats as of Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. The city candidate filings included David McCauley for city council, Sheila Lewis-Sines for city council, David Thomas for city council and Jim Valenson for city council.

The last day to withdraw from the municipal election is Feb. 15 and drawing for positions on the ballot will take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, in the Upshur County Clerk’s Office inside the Upshur County Courthouse.

The filing fee for council is $5 and the fee for city recorder is $7.50. The City of Buckhannon website also has a Call for Election page on their website, which lists precinct locations here.

County offices on the ballot for 2022 include one county commission seat in the 1st Magisterial District; county clerk (one seat); circuit clerk (one seat); two nonpartisan magistrate seats (unexpired terms for Divisions 1 and 2); and three nonpartisan seats for Board of Education.

As of Jan. 18, 2022, filings made for county positions included Sam Nolte for Upshur County Commission, Brian P. Gaudet for Upshur County Circuit Clerk, Carol J. Smith for Upshur County Clerk, Mark Davis for Magistrate – Division 1, Alan M. Suder for Magistrate – Division 2, Derrick Aegan for Board of Education (District 3) and Jesse Davidson for Board of Education (District 3).

On the state level, Sen. Bill Hamilton, R-Upshur, has filed to retain his seat in the 11th Senatorial District, as have Republicans Carl “Robbie” Martin for Delegate District 65 and Del. Adam Burkhammer for Delegate District 64.