CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Supreme Court said Friday it would rule promptly on a ballot controversial involving former state Senator Erik Wells in Kanawha County.
Wells appealed a circuit judge’s ruling that keeps him off the ballot in the race for county clerk. All legal briefs in the appeal have to be filed by Friday, Aug. 26.
Wells, a registered Democrat, is trying to use the petition process to get on the ballot as a non-affiliated candidate after not running the May Primary Election. He would take on two-term clerk Vera McCormick, a Republican, if he’s allowed in the race.
Kanawha County Prosecutor Chuck Miller argued against Wells’ petition in an Aug. 12 hearing saying Wells was attempting to bypass the traditional Democratic primary process to petition to appear on the ballot as an independent. Judge Charlie King ruled against Wells Thursday.
Wells has previously said he’s done all that’s required by state code.
“I had to get 600 signatures but I got over a thousand signatures, of which, the clerk’s office counted 900 of them as valid signatures of Kanawha County voters,” Wells said. “And I’m going to fight for those 900 people as I would fight for the entire county.”
The Supreme Court said in its scheduling order Friday that it would rule quickly because it is mindful of a pending deadline for ballots to be printed for the November General Election.