Pocahontas County Clerk Melissa Bennett didn't have to wait long Monday morning for the first candidate to show up to file for election. Ten minutes after the courthouse opened on the first day of the 2012 election season, one candidate had made his intentions known.

Bennett said Robert Martin filed as a Democratic candidate for Pocahontas County Prosecuting Attorney. He was followed by Dolan Irvine, Democrat for county commission, Southern District, Tom Lane, Democrat, for Assessor, Kathy Beverage, Democrat, for magistrate, and Joel Srodes, Republican, for magistrate, all on Monday. On Tuesday, Republican Lloyd Arbogast filed for a seat on the county commission, and Kenneth Vance filed to run for a fifth term on the board of education.

Beverage and Vance are the only incumbents on the list as of Tuesday.

Magistrate Janet Kershner-Vanover has not filed for re-election. Two magistrates will be elected. Prosecuting Attorney Donna Meadows Price has said she will seek re-election.
Irvine, who has been the assessor since 1981, will take his first stab at a seat on the county's governing body. Incumbent county commissioner Martin Saffer has not yet decided to run for a second term as county commissioner. Saffer said Saturday on Allegheny Mountain Radio's Commissioners' Corner that he would run for that office again, but has since "been wrestling with the idea," he said.

On Tuesday, no candidate had filed to run for sheriff, but incumbent David Jonese had picked up a candidate packet.

BOE seats held by Vance (Northern District) and Thomas VanReenen (Southern District) are up for grabs. The remaining members of the board are from all three magisterial districts, which means that anyone from any district can seek the office, but no more than two people from any one district can serve.

County commissioners earn a salary of $35,640, the sheriff and assessor are salaried at $43,890, a magistrate's salary is $51,525. The prosecuting attorney makes $92,200. Board of education members have a stipend of $160 per meeting.

Pam Pritt can be reached by email at pepritt@pocahontastimes.com

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