Unofficial municipal election results released
By Marti Marshall
Municipal elections were held throughout Greenbrier County on Tuesday, and Lewisburg saw a sweep in the incumbents, with Mayor John Manchester and council persons Beverly White and Joseph Lutz retaining their seats. Total unofficial vote results in each municipality, as submitted by the cities with seat-holders in bold are as follows:
In Lewisburg the incumbents all won continuing terms. For the office of Mayor – John Manchester 374, Martha Hilton 175. The race for City Council was won by Beverly White, 415 votes, and Joseph Lutz, 407, Edith McKinley garnered 161 votes. Martha Hilton, local realtor and Edith McKinley, a Lewisburg shop owner ran under the newly formed Community Party and mounted the first challenge to established office holders in approximately six years.
In White Sulphur Springs current mayor Lloyd Haynes was returned to office with 177 votes. For recorder, Peggy Bland received 172 votes. Both ran uncontested. The council members’ race results included three write-in candidates, Larry Wayne Wakeford, 100; George “G.P.” Parker, 142; Ted Humphreys, 121; Audrey Burns VanBuren, 136; write-in candidate Mark D. Gillespie won 110 votes, write-ins Peter Bostic had 62 votes and Michael Burns had 66 votes.
In Rainelle, incumbent mayor Andrea Pendleton will hold her seat for another two-year term, garnering 188 votes. Pendleton has served as mayor for four years. Her opponent, Patrick Bell, received 96 votes. Former council member Eddie Midkiff will serve as Rainelle’s new recorder, winning over Philip “Pete” Adams with 81 votes. Members of the city council ran unopposed. Gary Harris took over the vacant council seat left when Eddie Midkiff decided to run for recorder. The vote tally was Monica S. Venable, 321 votes; Gary Harris, 207; Ron Fleshman, 205; Howard Randy Pendleton, 169 and David Spitzer, 105.
In Alderson all candidates ran unopposed. Mayor Travis Copenhaver will stay in office with 35 votes. Recorder Betty Thomas had 35 votes. In the council members race Tod Hanger had 36 votes; Ann Eskins, 36; Charlie Lobban, 36; Doris Kasley, 36 and Beckley Keadle, 36.
Rupert candidates also ran unopposed. Mayor Jim Nichols had 29 votes and recorder Leah Yoakum received 28 votes, City council members re-elected were Stephen Baldwin, 27 votes; Lisa Denison, 27; Donald Keech, 24; Tina Livingston, 21 and David McAfee, 23.
