NEW CUMBERLAND – Three new faces will be joining the Hancock County Board of Education in July, coming in to office shortly after the board has been stripped of much of its authority by the state.

According to unofficial results Tuesday night, Tiffany Gale of Weirton, Melissa Bane of Weirton, and Jeff Woofter of New Cumberland, are set to take their seats at the beginning of the district’s fiscal year, July 1.

They are filling seats currently held by Board Vice President Ed Fields, Jack Crow and Jim Horstman.

Numbers provided by the Hancock County Clerk’s Office Tuesday show Woofter bringing in the most votes with 2,562 votes, or 25.8 percent.

Bane received 1,793 votes, or 18.05 percent, with Gale 1,001 votes or 10.08 %.

Other candidates in the race included Seth A. Cheuvront with 768 votes, Horstman with 1,160 votes, Michael Phelps with 968, David Brown with 604, Zach Adams with 538, and Curt Parkins with 537.

While Horstman came in third place as far as the total number of votes, he has represented the Clay District on the board. Both Woofter and Bane also are from the Clay District, and, under state code, the school board can have no more than two members from a single district.

Gale will represent the Butler District on the board.

Incumbent board members Chris Gillette and Randy Swartzmiller were not on the ballot, with their seats not set to go before the voters until 2028.