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Citizens vote for changes
Highland residents get new supervisor; all new school board
BY JAMES JACENICH AND CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITERS
 | | Johnny Camacho was the only candidate at the courthouse Tuesday night with a laptop to keep track of results and also work on papers due for classes. Eighteen-year old Camacho made a respectable run for the Cedar Creek district board of supervisor's seat. Though he joked after the unofficial results were announced, "I return to obscurity," he pledged this won't be his only run for office. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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Voter turnout in Bath and Highland was solid Tuesday as citizens took to the polls, and while most seats were retained by incumbents, some of who were unopposed in their races, there were a couple of surprises that will bring fresh perspective to count government.
The night was long, particularly in Highland County where the last district, Monterey, did not get posted results until 3:30 a.m. Candidates in most races made a showing at local courthouses as the ballots were counted.
MONTEREY - "I am relaxed," said Highland County supervisor candidate Rick Griffin. "It's a relief we are going to find out how the voters voted. I got my message out. Win or lose, I think I have (earned) the right to address some of the things that need to be addressed."
 | | A crowd of local election officials and county employees gathered at the Highland Courthouse last night to await results from the county's six precincts. Pictured (l-r) are county registrar Alice Shumate, election board members Don Farrell and Maxine Huffman, deputy clerk Lois Ralston, she won the race for circuit court clerk, county employee Richard Waybright and retiring clerk Sue Dudley. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) |
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Griffin's sentiment reflected that of most candidates Tuesday night as results from Highland's six precincts slowly trickled in. The last precinct reported around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, and many were still on hand to get the final numbers from the Monterey District.
Of Highland County's 1,935 registered voters, more than 1,465 voted - a 75 percent turnout when regional turnout was expected at around 25 percent.
Familiarity reigned as Robin Sullenberger and Jerry Rexrode retained their seats on the board of supervisors.
 | | Highland treasurer Lois White was reelected Tuesday to a second term as treasurer. White, who was unopposed in the race, earned one of the highest vote counts of the evening. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) |
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Sullenberger gained 818 votes, Rexrode 771, closely followed by David Blanchard who unseated incumbent Lee Blagg 748 to 555.
Voters had less confidence in all three incumbents than they did four years ago when Blagg, Rexrode and Sullenberger took home 802, 874 and 1,024 votes respectively.
Those opposed to industrial wind development and destructive industries that might harm the scenic views and ridge tops of Highland County seem to have gained a voice as the board shifted more toward the political center, and something closer to a balance between preservation and development. With Blagg's loss, Rexrode loses a close ally on the board on several issues.
Blagg came in a distant fourth with 555 votes, enough supporters to suggest a huge following for his pro-development, lower taxes on farmers platform, but not enough to retain his position.
Blanchard spent election day at home with a sick daughter, but put in an appearance at the courthouse in the early hours of the evening as precinct results started coming in. "I am happy with the way things went," he said.
Leo Schwartz with 393 votes, Randy Richardson with 536 and Griffin with 340 all had enough supporters to validate their messages and platforms.
An all-new school board was elected from the slate of six candidates to replace all retiring incumbents, whose decision not to seek re-election left the field wide open.
Kirk Billingsley took the most votes with 1,183. Only unopposed candidates Lois White for treasurer, Melissa Dowd for commonwealth's attorney and James Sponaugle for Soil and Water Conservation District director proved more popular among voters. Bobbie Hefner, current chair of the school board, earned 1,058 votes four years ago.
Billingsley spent the day at work and attended a church meeting before coming to the courthouse to see results come in.
Jim Blagg of Doe Hill joins Billingsley on the school board with 787 votes. The third member is John Moyers Jr. of McDowell who was able to muster 654 votes, slightly down from the 686 votes he received four years ago in his bid for school board membership.
Businessman Jack Flynn was in the middle of the pack with 583 votes. Larry Held and Chris Humphries finished at the bottom with 333 and 465 votes, respectively.
Challenger Tim Duff failed to make the grade against incumbent Sheriff Herb Lightner.
But Duff had 668 votes (45 percent) compared with Lightner's 817 votes, or 55 percent. Four years ago, Lightner won with 1,006 votes to challenger Bob Kelly's 548 votes. The erosion in his voter base over the past four years may indicate that some of the issues raised by Duff hit struck a nerve with voters.
Bobbie Griffin was able to convince an overwhelming number of voters to give her a second term as commissioner of the revenue as she captured 951 votes to opponent Lunora Doyle's 489, nearly a two-to-one margin of victory. Four years ago, though, in her first bid for public office, she won 1,061 votes against two challengers for the position.
"Most everyone has passed through the office or I have talked to them over the years," said Griffin. "I am a lot less nervous now than four years ago," she said early election night. "I am glad to see the end of the campaign." She said the next few months will be busy as she continues to catch up on work that has fallen behind due to family illness, an inadequate staff, new job requirements and the campaign. She spent election day at High's restaurant having breakfast with her family, lunch with a friend and at work. "It's been a good day," she said. Her husband and daughters spent the evening at the courthouse analyzing the votes as they came in.
Though unable to overcome the incumbency, Doyle said she felt good about her bid for commissioner. She spent the day in Harrisonburg shopping for her stores and working.
Long-time deputy clerk of courts Lois Ralston succeeded in capturing the seat soon to be left vacant by retiring clerk Sue Dudley. Ralston won 717 votes (48 percent) to Dudley's grandson, Bryan Obaugh, who received 586 votes. Obaugh ran a tough campaign as did deputy Ron Wimer (who placed third with 187 votes), but neither was able to gain the votes needed to top Ralston.
Ralston worked late into the night at the courthouse, answering the phone as results came in and passing information to the local board of election members and the growing crowd of election night onlookers, patiently waiting for the numbers.
In the unopposed races, Lois White earned a second term as treasurer; Melissa Dowd won commonwealth's attorney; and James Sponaugle gained a position as a director of the Mountain Soil and Water Conservation District.
White, who asked for a vote of confidence, received 92 percent of the vote, the highest of any candidate in Highland County this year.
Dowd ran four years ago against incumbent John Lohr who retires this year. In 2003, she received 636 votes to Lohr's 898 votes. This year, unopposed, she earned 53 percent of the total voter population. Dowd indicated she will continue to represent citizens as the town and county attorney, and drop the criminal portion of her private practice.
State Senator Emmett Hanger easily won another term in office as did Del. Chris Saxman, who ran unopposed for the House. Hanger, a Republican in the mostly conservative 24th senatorial district, consistently ran two to one over his two opponents, Democrat David Cox and Libertarian Arin Sime, throughout the district.
Saxman garnered a vote of confidence with 72 percent of the Highland vote. Hanger, likewise, earned a vote of confidence with 66 percent of the local vote in spite of the opposition.
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