Over 50 % of Hancock County voters cast their ballots in the 2020 General Election. With 24,376 registered voters, 13,652 cast their ballots in Hancock County for a 56.01% turnout.
Republicans swept all contested seats in Hancock County and elected Republicans to represent them in the Statehouse, Board of Public Works, Legislature and the Courthouse. With all 24 precincts reporting, unofficial results show Governor Jim Justice with 8,555 votes to Ben Salango’s 3,750 in Hancock County. Justice won the race statewide. While most of the nation awaited the final outcome of the Presidential race Wednesday morning, West Virginia’s five electoral votes have gone to Donald Trump. Trump received 9,653 to Biden’s 3,670 in Hancock. The total tally in West Virginia was Trump – 539,550; Biden – 232,424.
Voters in Hancock County elected their first woman to the Hancock County Commission. Republican Eron Check unseated incumbent Democrat Joe Barnabei with 7, 425 votes (56.75 %) to Barnabei’s 5,658 (43.25%).
In his first bid for public office, Republican Steven Dragisich easily defeated longtime Prosecutor James Davis, a Democrat. Dragisich received 9,461 votes (71.78%) to Davis’s 3,726 (28.22%).
Democrat Randy Swartzmiller’s attempt to unseat Republican Ryan Weld was unsuccessful. Weld received 23,593 votes to Swartzmiller’s 20,836. The county breakdown was Hancock County – Swartzmiller- 6,885; Weld’s 6,395. Brooke County – Swartzmiller 4,732; Weld’s 5.614; Ohio County – Swartzmiller 8,558; Weld 10, 605; Marshall County – Swartzmiller 661; Weld 969
The 1st Delegate District will send two Republican Delegates to Charleston. Former Delegate Mark Zatazalo will return to the House of Delegates along with incumbent Delegate Pat McGeehan. Zatezalo led the ticket with7059 (34.71%) votes in Hancock with McGeehan receiving 6.784 (33.51%) votes. Demcrats Jack Wood received 3,473 votes (17.0%) with Ronnie Jones receiving 3.023 votes (14.86%). With 24 precincts in Hancock, the 1st District also includes six precincts in Brooke County with totals in Brooke being: Zatezalo – 1789; McGeehan – 1,283; Jones – 898; and Wood 721.
Uncontested Hancock County candidates and their vote totals include Sheriff-elect Scott Gittings -11,644 and Assessor Joe Alongi – 10,426.
Voters overwhelmingly approved the Hancock County Sheltered Workshop Levy by a 71.06% to 23.94% margin.
Statewide voters returned Republicans Mac Warner as Secretary of State (opponent Natalie Tennant); John McCusky as Auditor (Mary Ann Clayton); Patrick Morrisey as Attorney General (Sam Brown Petsonk) and Ken Lenhardt as Commissioner of Agriculture (Bob Beach). Republican Riley Moore, nephew of Sen. Shelly Moore Capito, unseated longtime Treasurer John Perdue.
