PARKERSBURG - Former Parkersburg City Council member John Kelly will return to office next year. Kelly captured the District 7 Republican primary Tuesday night, defeating Scott Jarvis.
The two men were competing for Tom Joyce's seat. Joyce opted not to seek re-election, and there is no Democrat on the ballot. Kelly defeated Jarvis, 211-134, in unofficial vote totals.
"I'm happy the people in District 7 showed their support toward me and wanted me to come back," he said. "I had a lot of people who asked me to get in this race to begin with. It's what the people in District 7 wanted to see and I'm happy with that."
Article Photos
Photo by Jeff Baughan
Parkersburg City Council candidate J.R. Carpenter, center, stands with his daughters, Danielle, left, and Kristine, as they watch election returns Tuesday night.
Kelly was the only city council candidate to sew up a seat in the primary.
Incumbent council members Nancy Wilcox (District 1), Sharon Lynch (District 2), John Sandy (District 4), John Rockhold (District 8) and Jim Reed (District 9) were all unopposed in the primary.
District 6 council member Mike Reynolds is running unopposed.
Incumbent council members Brad Kimes, Sharyn Tallman and Joyce opted not to seek re-election. Tallman, a Republican, is running for mayor.
In three other district races the field was narrowed, except in District 2, where the two Republican candidates, Jeremy Crites and James Richards, tied. Both candidates received 80 votes.
The county still has to sort through its canvass count. Wood County Clerk Jamie Six said canvas will be May 14 at 9 a.m. If the canvass fails to break the tie, the contest will be referred to the Republican Executive Committee.
The eventual winner will face incumbent Lynch in November.
J.R. Carpenter, both a resident and business owner in District 5, defeated Paul Miller in the Democratic primary. Carpenter has no Republican challenger but will meet Republican candidate Joe Backus in the general election.
Carpenter received more than 60 percent of the vote, compared to Miller, 117-77.
"The voters recognized hard work," Carpenter said. "They know how hard I will work."
Carpenter said his old style of campaigning worked to sway voters.
"I knocked on doors," he said. "The old-style effort paid off."
In District 3, Tandra Mays pulled off a come-from-behind win over Georgiana Atkinson, who led the most of the night. As the final precincts rolled in, Mays surged ahead and in unofficial vote totals, won by three votes, 134-131.
"Wow. I'm glad," Mays said. "Really happy about it. Looking forward to the general."
Mays will face Republican Roger Brown in the general election.
In District 1 Kenneth Judy defeated Dave Pasadyn, 78-33.
Judy was in bed before the race was over and had no idea he'd won. He gets up at 3 a.m. to go to work.
Judy will face incumbent Democrat Nancy Wilcox in the general election.
"I will be glad to face her in November," he said. "We both want the best for Parkersburg in different ways."
