WAYNE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Voting campaigns will often assert that every vote counts, and that may very well be the case with regard to a tightly contested race in the Wayne County Primaries on Tuesday.
In the Republican race for the Primary nomination of West Virginia’s 28th House District, Republican incumbent and Wayne County native Josh Booth came up just one vote shy of tying fellow Wayne County native and retired teacher, Republican Mark A. Ross.
The final tally came to 687 votes for Booth and 688 votes for Ross, though misunderstanding brought about by the redistricting of voter precincts may have had a significant impact on the result of the race.
Provisional and mail-in ballots may also have a substantial, but not unrelated, effect on the outcome, however. A 12:00 meeting of the Wayne County Commission on Monday will see a canvassing of provisional and mail-in ballots, which Booth hopes will sway the odds in his favor.
“Monday at noon the Commissioners will canvas provisionals and mail-in ballots [and] I’m hopeful to squeak out a win,” Booth said.
Remaining optimistic, he maintains faith in our government systems to accurately reflect the will of the people, stating,
“I have no complaints either way. Like my old football coach said, “don’t tell [me] about the labor pains, just show me the baby.”
Booth, who also serves as Vice President at Highway Safety Inc., was appointed to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2021, replacing Republican Delegate Derrick Evans.
“It’s unfortunate to have such low voter turnout,” Booth remarked, referencing the drastically low percentage of West Virginians who made their way to the polls Tuesday to make their voices heard in this year’s Primary Election. That number is reported to be below the 25% mark, though it is not uncommon to see lower voter turnout in Primary Elections as opposed to General races.
The Wayne County Commission will meet at noon on Monday, May 16, 2022 for canvassing of mail-in and provisional ballots. The Wayne County Commission can be reached at (304) 272-6350, and more information can be obtained through the Commission website here.