The West Virginia legislature’s efforts to draw new district boundaries for the 2022 election were, as I have said, commendable.
Hours of time and effort were put into the project by activists, legislators and their staffs.
That the final product ended up much like the old Abbott and Costello comedy skit, “Who’s on first?” cannot completely be blamed on any one person or group.
Much like previous district realignments, this one would have been controversial even if it was transparent.
Some Democrats, especially, have warned about possible lawsuits challenging the districts designed by the Republican supermajority — even before they were done.
Let’s hope that by the time a suit can reach a judge and/or jury, we will at least have an understanding of all the district boundaries.
At this point, it might be difficult to prove Republicans gerrymandered even if they did. It’s still next to impossible to identify where one district begins and another ends.
While the problem seems more obvious than in years past, this is definitely not unique to the 2022 redistricting plan.
Most everyone will agree that Kanawha County Republican County Clerk Vera McCormick is honest, efficient and dedicated. But even in her county, districts have been confused in the past.
Many think allowing voters to cast ballots in the wrong district cost former Democrat Delegate Mark Hunt a legislative seat. The error was not discovered until after the votes were counted and the “results” certified.
Numerous residents in a Kanawha County town voted in the wrong state Senate district for four years.
Based on then-current county precinct maps, Malden should have been split into two precincts, 123 and 115. But McCormick confirmed to The Charleston Gazette-Mail that most Malden residents were placed in Precinct 117, going back to the 2012 Census implementation.
South Hills voters potentially voted in the wrong delegate district between Districts 35 and 36.
Partly because of ballot secrecy that protects the sanctity of the vote, nobody could tell what the outcome might have been if voters were directed to the correct precincts.
Kanawha County Democrat Delegate Larry Rowe told the paper at the time that he estimated 600 people live in Malden. As many as 530
voters were estimated to be voting in the wrong South Hills precincts.
Some of the legislative races were determined by less than 100 votes.
It’s obvious, then, that voting in the wrong precincts and districts can have quite an effect on the final vote tally. It’s also clear that the problem likely does not lie with McCormick or county officials but with whoever did not define districts clearly and properly.
In the current age of technology, it should be easier
to pinpoint district lines. It hasn’t been.
The same staffers who have worked their tails off will look an inquiring voter in the eye and tell him or her how “easy” it is to find out which precinct 114 East Main Street is in. It isn’t.
As late as three weeks after the legislature officially redistricted, there were still legislators who weren’t sure which district they live in. And these are not stupid people.
Well, at least most of them aren’t.
I still wonder if the actions of the entire legislature could be questioned if someone serving in the House or Senate was elected by the wrong voters?
Maybe it will all work out. For the sake of hard-working employees and sanity, I hope it does.
I doubt that it will.
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Many readers are awaiting my commentary on the races set up by the redistricting. Some have guessed that the new boundaries create as many as nine House districts where incumbents might potentially face each other in 2022.
I have been reluctant to pinpoint where current legislators may face each other due to the lack of clarity on district lines. I’d hate to explore two delegates squaring off against each other only to learn in mid-December that they aren’t in the same district.
There are some areas that are pretty apparent in pitting incumbents, though. We’ll concentrate on them until things become clearer.
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In the Eastern Panhandle’s Senate District 16, former legislator and gubernatorial candidate Michael Folk, a Republican, was still undecided about running this time.
Apparently, Renee’ Suver-Wibley, President of the Berkeley-Jefferson Republican Club announced her candidacy for the position at the Berkeley County Republican Eisenhower Dinner.
The 16th is the Senate spot held until recently by Democrat John Unger. It is Unger who is apparently serving improperly as Magistrate since he voted for a pay raise for his new job while in the legislature.
Newly appointed Democrat District 16 Senator Hannah Geffert previously said she would not be a 2022 candidate. Now she is said to be telling folks she might run, since she really likes being a senator.
Folk could consider challenging incumbent Republican Delegate John Hardy. He tells me he has not yet made a decision on that either.
Moving into one of the homes he owns in the 16th is still an option, Folk says.
Meanwhile, Folk recently pointed out a $500 donation made by Second District Congressman Alex Mooney to Delegate Jason Barrett of the Martinsburg area shortly after Barrett switched from Democrat to Republican.
Barrett is said to be eyeing the 16th Senate District as well.
Many thought it peculiar that Mooney donated to a local candidate, especially one who only recently became a a member of the GOP.
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Speaking of the Eastern Panhandle, there appears to be no incumbent delegate in District 94, where former Republican Delegate Larry Kump now lives.
Kump is a true conservative who lost out two years ago when the vagabond pharmacist, fellow Republican Ken Reed, claimed residence in Kump’s old district Reed, who is likely unopposed this time since he can apparently claim his residence anywhere, had no Democrat opponent in the 2020 general election after beating Kump in the primary.
Independent Patricia Adams ran second with the Mountain Party candidate third in the general.
District 92 in the Hedgesville area seems to have no incumbent. There’s gossip that Mike Hite, a guest host on WRNR Radio and former county council candidate, might run in that district.
There’s no other incumbent in Republican Don Forsht’s district although several insiders think he will get some primary opposition.
Forsht stepped down as President of the Blue Ridge Patriots to run in 2020 in then-District 60.
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I mentioned earlier that leftist Democrat Delegate John Doyle of Jefferson is evidently so convinced he was gerrymandered out that he intends not to run for the legislature but for a county courthouse position.
Republican Pasha Majdi is telling people she’s running in Doyle’s new district.
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Longtime Kanawha County Democrat Delegate Larry Rowe tells me he is pleased with his new district. He plans to run for re-election. There is no other incumbent in the district.
Incumbents likely face off in the other races, Rowe said.
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IF we had maps of the districts that clearly defined street addresses, it might be easier to spot potential matchups.
Had I mentioned that before?
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Switching subjects for a moment, it’s interesting to see that freelance writer Jay Lawrence Smith is suing Cabell County officials for failure to abide by the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
Like whining about map specificity, I have routinely griped for years about lack of compliance with FOIA and no reasonable enforcement procedures in place.
Smith is suing Cabell Circuit Clerk Jeffrey Hood and Cabell Prosecutor Sean “Corky” Hammers alleging they denied him access to court records and documents.
The West Virginia Record reported that “Smith went to Cabell Circuit Court and used the public access terminal to check the status of pending cases and found four cases he wanted to look at, one of which involved Hood, according to one of the complaints filed in Cabell Circuit Court.
“Smith claims Janet Call McCoy refused to pull the cases for him when he requested to see them and told him, ‘You have enough blogs as it is.’ A few minutes later, McCoy taped a piece of paper to the window that said, ‘We no longer pull case files.’ He claims the policy was enacted illegally and out of spite.
“Smith claims as he was leaving the courthouse he was brought into a bear hug by Doug West, a court security officer, and told not to come back. He later requested the documents through” FOIA.
“In the second lawsuit, Smith claims he contacted the prosecutor’s office on Feb. 5, 2018, regarding moonlighting by attorneys and requested documents, but was told there were no documents pertaining to the information he requested.
“Smith claims Hammers also failed to answer follow-up requests.”
I know nothing more of Smith’s complaints but I can say the actions alleged by him are similar to many I regularly encounter with public officials.
My biggest request has always been that some other procedure be in place to enforce FOIA rather than going through circuit court.
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There was jubilation in the true West Virginia camp when word officially came that the Marshall athletic department is joining the Sun Belt Conference.
That came a day after equal enthusiasm greeted the hiring of a true Son of Marshall, Brad Smith, as our new president.
That MU’s athletic program took a step up while WVWho remains stagnated in the now-toothless Big 12 can hardly be denied. Ever the “little brother,” we’ll take it.
All of which reminds me that little publicity greeted the dismissal, after four long years, of the lawsuit against former WVU Head Football Coach Rich Rodriguez.
The suit was filed by Rich Rod’s administrative assistant during the final few months of his tenure as head coach at Arizona.
Back in 2017, the former administrative assistant made allegations regarding sexual harassment, a hostile workplace, and that Rodriguez had an affair that she was forced to keep secret.
Football Scope reported, “That lawsuit was recently dismissed, and most importantly to note – no settlement was paid by Rodriguez or the University to settle the case, as both sides only paid their own costs and attorney fees,” Adam Rittenberg shared late last night.
“This brings closure to a 4-year saga, affirming what we have maintained from the beginning — that the plaintiff fabricated claims of harassment in an attempt to exact a large financial settlement. The scheme failed. She did not receive a single cent from my client or UA. Unfortunately, Coach Rodriguez paid a steep reputational price as the subject of publicized false allegations. As an added cost, his wife, Rita, and their children, as well as former UA staff members and players, were unnecessarily harmed,” his attorney said in a statement.
It’s one of those cases where the damage to Rodriguez’s reputation is already done. One of the hottest college coaching commodities at one time, he has struggled with job opportunities since the suit was filed.
Among his early coaching stops was at Glenville State College. He is now on Terry Bowden’s staff at ULM where is son is playing quarterback.
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I tried to speak with two other House candidates. Poor phone connections kept me from learning any more from Ronnie Bell of Crawley than that he does intend to run.
A call to Nathan England was not answered or returned by press time.
We’ll catch up later.
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Meanwhile, what’s the true story on an incident involving Congressman Alex Mooney in Martinsburg this past week?
We’ll give you the scoop shortly.
Ron Gregory is a regular political columnist and reporter for lootpress. Contact him at 304-533-5185; ronjgregory@gmail.com; or PO Box 20297, Charleston, WV 25362. Confidentiality assured.