The Shadow
The Bath County Board of Supervisors and school board will see a dramatic changing of the guard in January, while Kevin Hall will serve another four-year term as sheriff of Alleghany County and Covington.
Those are the top headlines from local elections held Tuesday.
On the statewide level, Democrats will control both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly in 2020. It will be the first time the Democrats will be in full control in Richmond in the last 20 years.
Alleghany County/Covington
Hall was elected to a fourth term as sheriff, beating challenger David Williams 3,550-2,441 (59.25 percent to 41.75 percent), according to unofficial returns Wednesday morning.
The total represents votes from Alleghany County and Covington. Hall won both localities.
The campaign between Hall and Williams, who is a former sheriff’s office investigator, turned contentious at times as it played out on social media.
“I am humbled and honor ed to serve as your sheriff for another four years,” Hall said Wednesday morning.
“I?want to thank everyone who supported our campaign. I will work even harder to gain the trust, support and confidence of those who didn’t support us.
“I hope our community of the Alleghany Highlands can put this behind us and move forward together to promote our community in a positive manner,” Hall said.
In the race for Alleghany County treasurer, Teresa Brown captured more than 74 percent of the vote in defeating Charlie Rusmisel. The tally was 3,307-1,133.
Brown had been serving as interim Alleghany County treasurer since July. She has worked in the office for 12 years. Brown was appointed as treasurer following the retirement of Wanda Simpson in June.
Brown was elated Wednesday over her election as treasurer, and she thanked Rusmisel for running a “good, clean campaign.”
“I thank everyone who signed my petitions to qualify me as a candidate and I thank everyone who supported me throughout my campaign,” Brown said.
“I also thank all of the citizens who came out and voted and I look forward to serving all of the citizens of Alleghany County over the next four years,” she said.
In uncontested races, Ann Gardner was elected commonwealth’s attorney for Alleghany County and Covington. She had been serving in an interim capacity since July. Her appointment came after the General Assembly appointed Ed Stein as a circuit court judge. Stein was serving as commonwealth’s attorney.
Three members of the county board of supervisors were also re-elected to four-year terms without opposition: Shannon Cox (Boiling Springs), Matt Garten (Falling Spring) and Cletus Nicely (Sharon).
Valerie Bruffey was unopposed for re-election as commissioner of the revenue.
Christine Hodges was unopposed for election to the Mountain Soil and Water Conservation in Alleghany County. In Covington, Allen Dressler was elected to the conservation district board. He also ran unopposed.
Bath County
There will be three new faces on the Bath County Board of Supervisors next year.
The returning incumbents will be Eddie Hicklin and Ron Shifflett.
Hicklin was re-elected Tuesday to another four-year term in the Millboro District. Hicklin ran unopposed.
Shifflett also was unopposed for re-election to his Cedar Creek District seat.
In contested races, Richard Byrd, the current board chairman, lost his bid for re-election to his Valley Springs District seat.
Lee Fry Jr. defeated Byrd 235-97 (70.57 percent to 29.13 percent), according to unofficial returns.
Thomas Burns will be the new Williamsville representative, after defeating Tommy Black 169-132 (55.96 percent to 43.71 percent). Black is a former Bath County sheriff.
The seat is being vacated by long-time Supervisor Stuart Hall. Hall was barred from seeking re-lection under an agreement he reached with the Bath County Circuit Court two years ago.
The agreement settled a dispute over Hall’s residency status. Under the agreement, Hall was allowed to fill out the remainder of his four-year tern, but he is permanently barred from seeking elected office in Bath County.
In the Warm Springs District, Roy Burns will be the new supervisor. Burns ran unopposed for the seat being vacated by Supervisor Bart Perdue. Burns is presently a member of the Bath County School Board.
The school board will have five new faces: Karen Hise (Cedar Creek), Jeff Grimm (Millboro), Jimmy Hooker (Warm Springs), Zachary Burns (Warm Springs) and Clara Tennant (Williamsville).
Burns ran unopposed in the Warm Springs District.
Results from the other school board races were: Karen Hise 134, Eddie Ryder 76 (Cedar Creek); Jeff Grimm 254, Jessica Forbes 54 (Millboro); Jimmy Hooker 211, Austin Burns 116 (Valley Springs); Clara Tennant 218, Lee Anne Bowling-Angle 79 (Williamsville).
Four constitutional officers were re-elected without opposition: Chris Singleton (commonwealth’s attorney), Pamela Webb (treasurer), Angela Grimm (commissioner of the revenue) and Robert Plecker (sheriff).
Floyd McCoy was elected to the Mountain Soil and Water Conservation District.
State Offices
Democrat Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County was re-elected to his 25th District seat. Deeds easily defeated independent candidate Elliott Harding 44,740-21,316 (67.48 percent-32.15 percent).
However, Deeds lost his home county of Bath by a 780-722 margin. He also lost to Harding in Alleghany County, 2,330-2,183.
Republican Terry Austin of Botetourt County was unopposed for re-election to his 19th District seat in the House of Delegates.
The district includes Alleghany County and Covington.
In the 24th House District, Republican Ronnie Campbell of Rockbridge County bested Democrat Christian Worth and independent Eli Fishpaw.
The district includes Bath County.
In January, the Democrats will hold a 21-19 advantage in the Senate and they will control the 100-seat House with 53 seats.
It will be the first time they will hold complete control in Richmond since 1994.
Democrats also hold the three top statewide offices: governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. In addition, they holds the state’s two U.S. Senate seats.
