Magistrates, judge elected in Mon County

MORGANTOWN – Two new magistrates and a new circuit court judge were elected Tuesday in Monongalia County.

Unofficial results show Ron Bane, Phillip T. Gaujot, Jim Nabors and Sandy Holepit winning magistrate races. Bane, a former Morgantown City Councilman, edged retired state trooper D. Ponch Reyes in Division 1. Bane pulled in 9,631 votes while Reyes collected 9,041.

“We started campaigning back in October and did as much as we could until the coronavirus shut things down and went, basically, to social media and signs,” Bane told WAJR.

In Division 2, Phillip T. Gaujot received 7,968 votes topping Tim Pocius (5,927 votes) and Stephanie Nethken (4,735 votes). Jim Nabors, who was unopposed, was re-elected in Division 3. Sandy Holepit won re-election in a landslide in Division 4, defeating challenger Arlie Campbell by 8,596 votes.

There will also be a new judge on the bench in Monongalia County. In the 17th Judicial Circuit, Cindy Scott was the top vote getter with 8,190 votes to Debra Scudiere’s 7,034. Michael Simms was a distant third with 4,294 votes. Scudiere, who currently serves as the circuit court judge, was appointed to the seat following the retirement of Judge Russell Clawges.

The Monongalia County Commission will meet as the board of canvassing on Monday to certify the election results.