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NEW CUMBERLAND -- With term limits preventing Ralph Fletcher from running as Hancock County sheriff, voters had a lot to think about on election day.
Scott Gittings, who is the deputy chief of the Chester Police Department, won the Republican nod with 1,365 of cast ballots, leaving Rick Stead (1,168 votes) and Tommy Ogden (795 votes) to split the balance in unofficial results released Tuesday night. Democrats didn't field a candidate.
Gittings, who previously had worked for the sheriff's office before going to Chester, also had been chief of police for New Cumberland and worked with the K-9 unit, courts, evidence and as a school resource officer.
Prior to election day, he had explained, "I have debated this move for (more than) four years. Being a part of the sheriff's office has not been just a job to me, it was part of me and remains to be. I look at the department and feel there are areas that I can bring my experience to make changes and help make it a better unit for the deputies and the citizens. There is no political motivation here, just a true passion to make the sheriff's office the best it can be."
Ogden, who is co-owner of Builders Wholesale, is an active member of the Northern Panhandle Community Criminal Justice board and holds a degree in criminal justice. Stead works for the city of Weirton's code enforcement office, after retiring from that city's police department as a captain.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
An incumbent Hancock County Board of Education member overwhelmingly kept his seat, but 2021 will see a new face joining the county school board.
Larry Shaw, who had been appointed originally twice to the school board, won the election with 3,634 votes, or 39.6 percent, Tuesday, when the board of elections released its unofficial final results. He was a former teacher and coach for Oak Glen High School.
Chris Gillette finished with 2,424 votes, 21.98 percent, giving him the seat currently held by Tim Reinard, who opted not to seek re-election.
Former school board member Ed Fields received 2,356 votes, with Seth Cheuvront finishing with 3,389 votes.
MAGISTRATE
Hancock County voters selected the soon-to-be ex-sheriff's quest to be the next Division 2 county magistrate Tuesday when the unofficial results were tallied.
With 43 percent of the votes, Ralph Fletcher had the lead over Steve Svokas (36 percent) and David L. Robinson (21 percent). Preliminary numbers showed Fletcher earned 2,958 votes; Svokas, 2,480; and Robinson, 1,428.
Fletcher was unable to run for re-election as sheriff due to term limits. Svokas has served on the West Virginia Parole Board for more than a decade.
In Division 3, incumbent Mike White (73.75 percent) retained his magistrate seat over political newcomer, Jeremy Pykosv (26.25 percent), receiving 4,709 votes to 1,754.
Incumbent Scott Hicks ran unopposed for the Division 1 magistrate seat, receiving 6,142 votes.
ANIMAL SHELTER LEVY
Hancock County voters agreed to renew the levy in support of the Hancock County Animal Shelter, with 4,233 votes, or 64.34 percent, in favor, and 2,346 votes, or 35.66 percent, against.
The four-year levy would provide $100,000 per fiscal year for the operation and maintenance of the shelter located on Gas Valley Road.
The rates for the levy are 0.60 cents per $100 of assessed value on Class II properties; 1.200 cents per $100 on Class III and 1.200 cents per $100 on Class IV properties.