by Aila Boyd

The Botetourt County Republican Committee met last Tuesday to decide its method for selecting its general election candidates.

A primary election, as opposed to nomination by convention, will be held on June 11.
Donald Helms, chairman of the committee, explained that the three candidates that are currently seeking the Republican nomination for sheriff decided that a primary was preferable. After that, all of the candidates and potential candidates seeking the Republican nomination for other offices agreed that a primary was the best way to handle the nomination process.
“We have three excellent candidates,” Helms said of the three men seeking the Republican nomination for sheriff.
To date, only Republican candidates have filed paperwork to run with the Botetourt County Department of Elections and Voter Registration.
The Democratic Committee of Botetourt has decided to hold a primary election for the 23rd District State Senate seat and the 19th District House of Delegates Seat. Traci Spradlin Clark, director of elections and general registrar for Botetourt County, explained the decision to hold a primary for those two seats indicates that multiple candidates are more than likely considering a run.
On the day of the primary, voters will have to designate which primary, Republican or Democratic, they wish to participate in when checking into polling locations. The Code of Virginia only allows voters to participate in one primary.
The following positions will be up for election on November 5:
State
• State Senate seat for the 23rd District (currently occupied by Steve Newman)
• House of Delegates seat for the 17th District (currently occupied by Chris Head)
• House of Delegates seat for the 19th District (currently occupied by Terry Austin)
County
• Board of Supervisors seat for the Blue Ridge District (currently occupied by Billy Martin)
• Board of Supervisors seat for the Fincastle District (currently occupied by Richard “Dick” Bailey)
• Board of Supervisors seat for the Valley District (currently occupied by Donald “Mac” Scothorn)
• School Board seat for the Blue Ridge District (currently occupied by Scott Swortzel)
• School Board seat for the Fincastle District (currently occupied by John Alderson)
• School Board seat for the Valley District (currently occupied by Michael Beahm)
• Commissioner of Revenue (currently occupied by Rodney Spickard)
• Commonwealth’s Attorney (currently occupied by John P.H. Alexander III)
• Treasurer (currently occupied by William P. Arney)
• Sheriff (currently occupied by Ronald Sprinkle)
• Soil and Water Director (currently occupied by F. Preston Wickline III)
• Soil and Water Director (currently occupied by Jeffrey Henderson)
Buchanan
• Town of Buchanan Town Council (currently occupied by Diane DiPalma)
• Town of Buchanan Town Council (currently occupied by Christopher Witt)
Fincastle
• Town of Fincastle Town Council (currently occupied by Philip Bartocci)
Troutville
• Town of Troutville Town Council (currently occupied by Doris Camper)
• Town of Troutville Town Council (currently occupied by H. Dean Paderick)
• Town of Troutville Town Council (currently occupied by Harry Ulrich Jr.)
The following candidates have filed paperwork with the Botetourt County Department of Elections and Voter Registration for the June 11 primary:
• Treasurer: Bill Arney
• Commonwealth’s Attorney: John P.H. Alexander III
• School Board Blue Ridge District: Scott Swortzel
• School Board Blue Ridge District: Matthew East
• Board of Supervisors Blue Ridge District: Billy Martin
• Board of Supervisors Blue Ridge District: Walter Michael
• Sheriff: Mike Vineyard
• Sheriff: Jeff Stritesky
• Sheriff: Matt Ward
• Soil and Water Conservation Director: F. Preston Wickline III
Members of the School Board and Soil and Water Conservation are not affiliated with political parties. All other declared candidates are seeking the Republican Party nomination.
The deadline for filing paperwork to run with individual parties is March 28 at 5 p.m.
Individuals seeking to run as an iIndependent in November have to submit their paperwork to the Botetourt County Department of Elections and Voter Registration by June 11 at 7 p.m.
The Botetourt County Republican Committee currently has two forums scheduled. Helms described the forums as being “job interviews.” St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Daleville will host a forum on March 23 at 2 p.m. The second forum will be held at Mill Creek Baptist Church in April.