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PARKERSBURG -- Voters in Parkersburg will narrow the field in seven City Council districts in the upcoming primary, with the occupants of all nine seats and the mayor's office starting in 2025 to be determined in the fall.
Neither Mayor Tom Joyce, a Republican, nor Democrat Sherry Dugan, a former councilwoman and longtime member of the city's Municipal Planning Commission, face opposition in the primary, setting up a second rematch between the two following Joyce's victories in 2016 and 2020. If Joyce wins, he would go into his third consecutive term, the maximum allowed under the city's charter.
Three council members - Jesse Cottrille from District 1, Bob Mercer in District 3 and Zach Stanley of District 8 - are not seeking reelection, but each of those races includes at least one former council member.
In District 1, there are three. Former council members Sam Henry and Nancy Wilcox are running in the Democratic primary, with the winner to face Dave McCrady, who is unopposed as the Republican nominee.
In District 2, incumbent Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl faces Michael Hess in the Republican primary. Democrat Sue Ellen Waybright will take on the winner in November.
Former council member Roger Brown is running against James "JJ" Hendershot in the District 3 Republican primary. Democrat Craig Metz awaits the winner in the general.
District 4 is the only one with two contested primaries. The Democratic nominee will be either incumbent Councilwoman Wendy Tuck or David Atkinson, while Nikki Lawson and Patrick McCormick vie for the Republican nomination.
There is no contested primary in District 5, where incumbent Councilman J.R. Carpenter, a Democrat, will face Republican Dell Pomeroy in a general election rematch of 2020.
The longest-serving member, Councilman Mike Reynolds, has two challengers in the District 6 Republican primary: Arthur John Dunn and Cathy Whitlatch. Brenda Brum is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
District 7 won't have a contested race until November, when incumbent Councilman Chris Rexroad, a Republican, will take on Democrat Sonya Ashby.
Republicans Andrew Borkowski and Sharon Maloney, a former council member, are seeking the Republican nomination in District 8. Trish Pritchard is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
In District 9, Dr. Cathy Dailey, appointed to the seat in December, is running for the Republican nomination against Alisa Prince. Former council member Jeff Fox, the Wood County Democratic Executive Committee chairman, awaits the winner.
Previews of each contested primary race appeared in The Parkersburg News and Sentinel from April 16-20 and April 22-23.
Write-in candidates may still file to run by Sept. 17.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.