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Modesitt discusses elector role

Rick Modesitt, a former Wood County Commissioner and member of the House of Delegates, speaks Tuesday during a ceremony where West Virginia’s four votes in the Electoral College were cast. Modesitt was one of the four electors. (Photo provided by Rick Modesitt)

PARKERSBURG — A Parkersburg man was among the four electors from West Virginia who cast their Electoral College votes for Donald Trump.

“I was honored,” Rick Modesitt said.

Modesitt said he was chosen to be an elector by the West Virginia Republican Party based on his years with the party, joking that he “fell into the senior citizens category.” Modesitt has been involved in local politics and is a former member of the House of Delegates and the Wood County Commission.

“This is my first time being an elector,” he said.

The other electors were former state Republican Party chair Melody Potter, former Delegate John Overington of Berkeley County and Benjean Rapp of the Republican Party from Nicholas County.

From left, Benjean Rapp, Melody Potter, John Overington and Rick Modesitt of Parkersburg cast Electoral College votes Tuesday in a ceremony at the Capitol in Charleston. (Photo provided by Rick Modesitt)

Modesitt said he read Article 12 to the U.S. Constitution before the formal ceremony held in the Capitol. The Founding Fathers had the foresight to create the Electoral College, Modesitt said.

“They all were simply geniuses,” Modesitt said. “They thought of everything.”

Otherwise, small states like West Virginia “would have no voice,” Modesitt said.

With the Electoral College, states with small populations are not overshadowed by larger states and population centers, although it is possible to lose the electoral vote while winning the popular vote, he said.

Four electors, one for each senator and member of the House of Representatives, are allocated to West Virginia.

The Certificate of Vote signed Tuesday by the four electors in West Virginia. (Photo provided by Rick Modesitt)

Trump received 70% of the votes cast for president in November in West Virginia, according to Secretary of State Mac Warner.

Gov. Jim Justice and Warner presided at the ceremony, which was public in the governor’s conference room.

“It was a pretty good crowd,” Modesitt said.

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