Brooke County voters elect commissioner, sheriff | News, Sports, Vacancies

WELLSBURG — Brooke County voters Tuesday re-elected Republicans AJ Thomas and Richard Beatty as county commissioner and sheriff, respectively.

Thomas received 5,892 votes, or 62.51 percent of total voters, while Democratic challenger Darin Pizer received 3,533 votes, or 37.49 percent.

All results are unofficial until ballots are tabulated at 9:30 a.m. next Tuesday at the county courthouse.

When asked to comment on his victory, Thomas said: “I feel, to put it mildly, humiliated. This is confirmation that what we have been doing for the last six years is what people want.”

When asked about his future goals as county commissioner, he said: “The biggest project for me next term is replacing the Market Street Bridge.”

Thomas said he intends to be “laser-oriented” on this goal in the following years of his tenure as commissioner, noting that the most optimistic estimates place its completion in five to six years.

He added that he will continue to work with others for economic development, particularly in Weirton and the Beech Bottom Industrial Park, and to support the efforts of public service districts and county municipalities to improve and expand public water and sewer services.

To achieve the latter goal, Thomas said he will push state officials to allocate more public funds to public services, which he said is key to attracting new businesses.

“This is not just a local problem. This is a state issue.” he said, adding that if the state is operating with a budget surplus, as West Virginia officials say, “Let’s take advantage of this.”

Beatty won the race for sheriff with 6,195 votes, or 65.33 percent of voters cast.

Ferguson, his Democratic challenger and former Brooke County sheriff, received 3,287 votes, or 34.67 percent of those cast.

Beatty said of his victory: “I’m certainly glad the voters believed in me and voted for me to continue the work we’ve done.”

He added that he is working to expand his department and, having recently tested candidates for deputies, hopes to soon add new employees to his staff.

No other county officials opposed the election.

County election clerks reported 9,795 people, or 65.1 percent of registered voters, turned out to vote Tuesday, and a record 2,963 voters cast ballots during the early voting period at the courthouse and through absentee voting.

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