OAK HILL, WV (LOOTPRESS) – An independent candidate has entered the race for West Virginia’s 50th House of Delegates district as state election officials prepare to consider whether former Delegate David Elliott Pritt should remain on the November ballot.
The West Virginia Secretary of State has scheduled a public meeting of the State Election Commission for August 7 to consider Pritt’s removal from the general election ballot.
Meanwhile, Tom Louisos filed on July 29 to run as an independent candidate for the seat.
Louisos, the owner of Tom’s Carryout in Oak Hill, previously served on the Fayette County Commission after being elected in 2018. He lost his bid for renomination in the 2024 Republican primary to the late Greg Fernett.
As an independent candidate, Louisos must collect petition signatures equal to 1% of the total vote cast in the last general election to qualify for the November ballot under West Virginia law.
Pritt currently remains the Republican nominee unless the State Election Commission determines at its Aug. 7 meeting that he should be removed from the ballot.
The meeting comes as a recent statement from the West Virginia Secretary of State outlined provisions of state election law that could complicate replacing Pritt as the Republican nominee.
Under current law, if a candidate voluntarily withdraws from the ballot, the political party cannot appoint a replacement. A replacement nominee may only be selected if a vacancy results from a qualifying disqualification before Aug. 11, 2026, or from the candidate’s death.
Separately, the Fayette County Republican Party is accepting applications to fill Pritt’s vacancy in the House of Delegates following his resignation. The appointment would cover the remainder of his current term, which expires in January 2027.
Fayette County special education teacher Mathew Anderson is the Democrat running for the seat.
