Our Voices

Democrats in Jefferson County come in all shades of blue. But all of us want to promote a unified, Democratic vision for county and state politics – a vision that will attract new voters. We’re all talking, and here you can read what we’re writing on the three main themes of that vision:

Securing an Economic Fair Share for Everyone
Ensuring that Our Voices and Votes Count in Local Democracy
Preserving Quality of Life for All County Residents

LEARN ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS

The Voices are writers, graphic artists, social media influencers, and IT people, all focused on getting out helpful information to our community. In addition to focusing on our main themes, we’ll also be responding to news stories as they develop with reactions on our Headline News page. We’ll publish our news, our views, and our opinions to keep the public informed about what it means to be an engaged Democrat.

If you would like to offer up your own background and/or interest in communications as a new Voice, let us know by sending an email to [email protected]. We’ll get you caught up quickly.

OUR FAIR SHARE

Data Centers: Talk of the Panhandle

May 13, 2026

The topic of data centers is contentious for communities actually or potentially impacted by them. It's so contentious that our Republican dominated legislature has taken away the rights of these communities to regulate them and even to have them at all. John Doyle makes the case that these community rights legislated away for now have to be reconsidered and restored in future legislative sessions.

Raylee’s Law Failure to Pass

April 30, 2026

Jenny Thacker, in a video recording, details the arguments for Raylee's Law and then goes on to describe the legislature's inaction in passing any of three versions. Any of the three would have included some provision in the law to provide oversight over the HOPE Scholarship program. This oversight could have prevented Raylee Browning's death at age eight.

More Good Water — Less Bad Water

March 12, 2026

Water and sewer reliability is an on-going problem in places in Jefferson County. The town of Bakerton, once prospering is a case in point. Bakerton's jerry-rigged system of water delivery is failing and residents are hard pressed to afford to improve it. Jim Bauman describes the history and current situation of water in the community.

OUR COMMUNITY

Moving a Sofa – or a Nation

May 13, 2026

There is a long-running debate in America between those with a libertarian outlook, who believe it is every man for himself, and the rest of us. Neal Barkus cuts through the debate about individual versus collective rights at a moment’s notice by asking how important our objective really is. Is it moving a sofa or moving a nation? If our objective is hugely important – maybe existential – we know the answer. We have demonstrated time and again that the collective approach is the only way. After all, we are in this together.

What About Our Public Schools?

April 26, 2026

The HOPE Scholarship program in West Virginia was created to provide parents opposed to public education a financial crutch to either home school or to send their kids to private schools. Jim Bauman argues that the high price tag of HOPE is paid out at the expense of improving our public schools. He wonders is public education a priority of our Republican dominated government or is the destruction of public education a goal?

Our Homes Are Burning

March 30, 2026

A recent fire in Bolivar in a multi-unit home for elderly and disabled people has upturned their lives. The fire started in one unit and spread along the roof to others, making the building unlivable. Jenny Thacker considers the possibility that this building fire and many others predating building codes could have been caused by faulty construction. She wants legislators to focus more on fire prevention in our older homes, as well as to better support local fire fighting and rescue.

OUR VOTING POWER

We Have Come To an Inflection Point

May 4, 2026

It is a given that our Republican governor, Patrick Morrisey, wants to push as many data centers into the state as it will hold. And worse, he wants to do this without local community input. Stewart Acuff lays out the massive hurt that this will cause to our state and argues for a defiant stand in our upcoming elections to un-elect those legislators that sold us out.

Why West Virginia is Right to Count Timely-Cast Absentee Ballots Received After Election Day

April 14, 2026

West Virginia, being the rural, mountainous state it is, has communication issues. Notably it takes longer for US Postal Service mail to get out and to get in. Our state has long recognized the problem and given absentee voters extra time to get their mailed ballots to their elections' office, as long as they are mailed before election day. This grace policy is under threat by Republicans and Neal Barkus describes what this will mean if they eliminate it.

A Chaotic Conclusion to the 2026 Legislative Session

April 11, 2026

The WV Legislator meets for two winter months to decide on new legislation which (with the governor's signing) will make its way into law. John Doyle gives a wrap of the 2026 session and tells the sad tale that Jefferson County came away with just about nothing of consequence. And worse, the chaotic close of the session meant that even the good bills which made it to the final votes, failed to even get those votes. The clock ran out.