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Leadership

It’s hard here in West Virginia to understand how states such as Arizona and Nevada, three days after the polls officially closed, were still counting votes. Viewing the process from afar, it becomes clear that those states lack good, solid leadership when it comes to running their elections. Consider: President-elect Donald Trump was named the winner in Nevada Friday afternoon, but Arizona remains uncalled. Every other state was called by the end of the day Wednesday. How is it our small state, with its geographic and connectivity challenges, is able to get 95-plus percent of the ...

Applause & Boos

Applause to all the candidates who were brave, committed and inspired enough to put their names on the ballot and take part in Tuesday’s General Election. Win or lose, we salute you for getting involved. One of our modern society’s worst attributes is a lack of volunteers, whether for fire departments, charitable organizations or to fill necessary governmental positions such as the ones we just voted for. Getting involved in politics may not always be fun, but it is necessary for candidates to step forward for the good of our towns, our counties, our state and our country. Applause ...

Heroes

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day or the eleventh month 106 years ago, the hostilities of World War I came (for the most part) to an end. But though it was billed as the war to end all wars, American troops have continued to put their lives on the line for the rest of us and the world during another century’s worth of fighting. And so, since 1954, we have paused on Veterans Day to honor those men and women who have served us, in the U.S. Armed Forces. Those who chose — and those who had no choice — to serve sacrificed everything. Some did not come home. Others bear the ...

Elections

All over the world, vulnerable populations have cheered the news that U.S. and United Nations elections monitors would be on hand to safeguard their voting processes. Here in the United States, the Department of Justice’s election monitors have for decades observed elections and polling conditions across the country — particularly when official conduct has led to requests for outside observation. Ahead of the 2024 General Election, the DOJ announced it would be deploying election monitors in 86 jurisdictions across 27 states. It is indicative of how warped some officials’ ...

Bipartisanship

Outgoing U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio who was succeeded by JD Vance in 2023, joined forces earlier this week to talk about the intensely problematic polarization that is damaging this country. During a panel discussion at the University of Cincinnati, the two discussed the importance of getting the work of the American people done in a bipartisan manner. Along with that goes the effort to combat extremism on both sides, which is making those with a more centrist/moderate perspective less effective in serving their constituents ...

Now is the Time

Voters here in West Virginia have significant decisions to make today at the ballot box. Don’t let your voice go unheard. From the presidential election to control of Congress and the state Legislature, to a constitutional amendment and our next governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and commissioner of agriculture, there is much on the ballot to consider. That doesn’t even factor in the county-level races — county commission, assessor, sheriff, prosecuting attorney — and also some municipal races in select cities. This much is clear: the choices made today will ...