NEW CUMBERLAND - At 10:30 p.m. Saturday, no additional candidates filed for the major political races in Hancock County, according to Hancock County Clerk Eleanor Straight.
The deadline to file was at midnight.
However, one name on the official list of candidates late Saturday disappeared off the West Virginia Secretary of State's Web site at approximately 10:30 p.m.
Delegate Pat R. McGeehan, the incumbent Republican from Chester, is no longer listed as a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates.
There were no additional details Saturday night on why McGeehan was no longer listed as a candidate. An official from the West Virginia Secretary of State's office indicated McGeehan drove to Charleston Saturday to withdraw from the race.
It was not clear if McGeehan intends to file for another elected office.
As for Straight, she will be opposed in the May primary by a fellow Democrat, Mark Harris, mayor of Weirton.
No one had filed to oppose Hancock County Commissioner Mike Swartzmiller, but there were still several hours left for a candidate to file for office, Straight said.
Swartzmiller currently is the president of the county commission and represents the Clay District.
Swartzmiller's fellow commissioner, Dan Greathouse, is looking to replace Ed Bowman at the State Senate. Bowman announced his plans to retire.
Greathouse, a Democrat from Weirton, will be facing fellow Democrat Orphy M. Klempa in the May primary. Klempa is from Wheeling.
Larry T. Tighe, a Republican from Wheeling, filed for the office as well and will likely face Greathouse or Klempa in the fall election.
It's a little more crowded for the West Virginia House of Delegates race.
Incumbent Del. Randy Swartzmiller, Democrat from Chester, will face off against fellow Democrats Marilyn S. Boyd of Newell, Jerry C. Chaney of Chester and Ronnie D. Jones of Weirton.
McGeehan no longer being reported as a candidate, there will be no Republican opposition for the Democrats in the West Virginia House of Delegates race.
Four candidates have filed for the three open seats on the Hancock County Board of Education as of late Saturday.
John Manypenny of Chester and Mary Alice Jones of New Cumberland are facing off to be the Grant District representative on the board. Manypenny is currently serving on the board.
It appears that Laura Greathouse from New Cumberland will end up being the Clay District representative, and Toni M. Hinerman will represent the Butler District on the Hancock County Board of Education. They are running unopposed.
There is no fall election for the board of education, and the winners in the May race will take office July 1, according to Straight. One position in each district needs representation on the board.
Hancock County Circuit Court Clerk Brenda L. Jackson, the Democrat incumbent from New Cumberland, has no opposition in the May primary but faces a challenger in November. Weirton resident Mike Chek has filed as a Republican for the position.
Two candidates will appear on the ballot for the Soil Conservation District for the Northern Panhandle. The county is allowed two representatives.
Elbert Allison of Chester, whose term is about to expire, and New Cumberland resident Charles Ed Huff are running for the two spots.
