Staff report
Williamson Daily News
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Del. Justin Marcum, D-Mingo, has created a bill that would require the nonpartisan election of county superintendents of schools, beginning with the 2018 primary election.

The bill would allow West Virginia citizens to vote for their superintendents, rather than allowing school boards to appoint superintendents on their behalf.
Marcum said he believes the nonpartisan elections would promote fairness in the office.
“With this bill, superintendents can either choose to do their jobs fairly to improve education in their counties, or they will be voted out,” Marcum said. “It’s time citizens of this state have a say.”
Marcum said the appointment method has allowed for there to be nepotism in closed school board decisions.
“Members of school boards have been able to hire friends instead of qualified individuals to fill these positions,” Marcum said, “And then those ‘friends’ are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money.”
The bill has bipartisan support in the House from its ten cosponsors, which consist of five Republicans, four Democrats and one Independent.
These cosponsors include Dels. Phillip Diserio, Jeff Eldridge, Michael Folk, Danny Hamrick, Pat McGeehan, Rodney Miller, Rupert Phillips, Ralph Rodighiero, Ron Walters and Mark Zatezalo.
The bill is currently pending for introduction to the House of Delegates.
See more from the Williamson Daily News