Published: May 14, 2008 10:29 pm      

Greenbrier opts for new prosecutor

LEWISBURG — Election officials say just under 11,000 Greenbrier County registered voters (43 percent) cast ballots Tuesday, making it the largest turnout in eight years.

Nearly 5 percent also took advantage of early voting, County Clerk B.J. Livesay said Wednesday, and one race has the potential of being changed at Friday’s canvas of ballots.

“We knew it was going to be a big turnout,” Livesay said. “The last time we had a sizable turnout was in 2000 when 70 percent of voters made their choices about the gaming issue.”

The race to be the Democratic nominee for prosecuting attorney saw newcomer Martha Fleshman, an assistant Monroe County prosecutor, upset incumbent Kevin Hanson, who has held the position since 2000.

Fleshman won the contest by just 23 votes over Lewisburg lawyer Douglas Arbuckle by a tally of 2,709 votes to 2,686. Hanson came in third with 1,949 votes.

Fleshman said she spent only about $1,400 on the race — not including the $992 filing fee — and she relied heavily on a grassroots campaign.

“I didn’t have a lot of yard signs and didn’t do a lot of advertising,” Fleshman said Wednesday. “I think the fact that I was heavily involved in community activities here prior to going to law school helped me. I want to thank all the supporters who voted for me on Tuesday.”

Hanson congratulated all the candidates when reached by phone Wednesday and said he “looks forward finishing out the rest of my term in office.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve Greenbrier County for the past eight years,” Hanson said.

Livesay said more than 100 challenged ballots will be scrutinized at the canvass on Friday, a number big enough to turn the tide for Arbuckle should he pick up enough votes to overtake Fleshman’s lead.

“There’s a rumor going around that if a race has been decided by less than one percentage point, then there’s an automatic recount,” Livesay said. “But that’s not the case. A recount can only happen at the request of a candidate.”

Arbuckle could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Less than half a percentage point separated the two candidates. The winner will take on Republican Pat Via in the fall. Via ran unopposed Tuesday.

In the Democratic race for judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit, Joseph P. Pomponio Jr. bested Lewisburg lawyer Steve Hunter by 147 votes. Voters in both Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties favored Pomponio by small margins.

In Pocahontas County, Pomponio won with 986 votes to 957 and in Greenbrier 3,473 votes to 3,384. Both tallies were won by less than two percentage points.

“I want to thank the people of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties for supporting me,” Pomponio said Wednesday. “It was a close race and I’m very happy about the results.”

Hunter could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Pomponio will now take on the Republican nominee, Lewisburg lawyer Jesse Guills, in November. Guills, who’s also a state senator, ran unopposed Tuesday.

In the other circuit court race, incumbent Jim Rowe will take on Lewisburg lawyer Barry Bruce in the fall election. Both ran unopposed Tuesday.

Also running unopposed was Democrat David M. Sanders of Alderson for judge of the 15th Family Court Circuit. No Republicans filed as candidates in that race.

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Here are the results from other Greenbrier County races Tuesday:

Democratic nominee for county commission — Karen Lobban 3,425; Bruce Bowling 1,977; Jeff Lewis 1,290; Walter “Kevin” Bennett 754. Lobban will take on incumbent Lowell Rose, who ran unopposed on the Republican ticket.

Democratic nominee for sheriff — Bruce Hosey 2,263; Albert Lindsey 2,127; Roger Sheppard 1,811; Steve Malcomb 1,426. Hosey will take on Republican Jim Childers, who ran unopposed Tuesday.

Democratic nominee for assessor — incumbent Steve Keadle defeated Nancy Sartor 4,237 votes to 3,230. No Republicans filed for that seat.

Democratic nominee for magistrate (top three elected to office) — Brenda Smith 4,976; Brenda Campbell 4,499; Doug Beard 3,977; Julia Thompson 2,938. No Republicans filed as candidates for magistrate.

Democratic nominee for surveyor — Charles W. “Chuck” Smith was the lone candidate and garnered 6,298 votes. No Republicans filed for the seat.

Nonpartisan board of education (top two elected to office) — Robert Toothman 4,821; Frances Workman 3,638; Hazel Flanagan Reed 3,441; Marvin Morgan 2,778.

Continuation of the special school levy — for the levy 6,468, Against the levy 2,927 (68.5 percent to 31.15 percent.)

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com