Direct Election Of School Board Members Passes As Two Bens Win Their Races

Of the votes cast to change from appointing school board members in Alleghany County to electing them, 88% favored change while both Ben Cline and Ben Nicely emerged victorious in their respective races.

Ben Cline (R) defeated Jennifer Lewis (D) for a second time by garnering 65% of the vote statewide to retain his office as representative of Virginia’s Sixth District to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In the Alleghany Highlands, Cline’s margin was nearly 10% higher as he received 4,039 (74.98%) compared to Lewis’ 1,341 votes (24.89%). In 2018, Lewis received just over 40% of the vote overall.

Ben Nicely, a 1999 graduate of Alleghany High School, received 451 votes to win a seat on the Clifton Forge Town Council. He finished ahead of Jeremy Bastian, 166 votes; Courtney F. Howard, 388 votes; and Vice-Mayor Robert J. “Bob” Umstead, 414 votes.

Mayor Jeff Irvine of the Town of Clifton Forge explained that only 22 provisional ballots had been mailed in to Alleghany County.

The listed percentages presented here do not include any of the 22, too few to change the outcome of any of the races. The percentages listed are based on 14 of 15 precincts having been reported.

Running unopposed in the Town of Iron Gate, Richard B. Erskine received 92 votes, Deborah F. Harris garnered 86, Kawahna C. Persinger finished with 89, and Gary A. Craig received 46 votes for Mayor with 3-4 precincts reporting.

Both William Lance Carson and Fred F. Forbes, III ran unopposed and were elected to the Covington City Council.

Councilman Dale E. Burdette received 666 votes, and Councilwoman Deborah A. Laudermilk garnered 485 votes to win the other two seats on Council.