Mel Kessler
Melvin Ray 'Mel' Kessler (b. July 25, 1948) was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 32 of the West Virginia House of Delegates.[1] Kessler ran unsuccessfully for District 30 of the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2014.[2]
Kessler served in the House of Delegates from 2006 to 2008.
Biography
Kessler's professional experience includes working as the owner of Kessler Properties.[3]
Elections
2016
Elections for the West Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 10, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was January 30, 2016. Incumbent David Perry (D) did not seek re-election.
The following candidates ran in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 32 general election.[4][5]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 32, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Shirley Love |
16.01% | 7,273 | |
| Republican | Kayla Kessinger Incumbent |
17.78% | 8,076 | |
| Republican | Tom Fast Incumbent |
17.21% | 7,819 | |
| Democratic | John Pino | 14.72% | 6,687 | |
| Democratic | Margaret Staggers | 15.91% | 7,228 | |
| Republican | Austin Haynes | 14.47% | 6,572 | |
| Libertarian | Travis Simms | 3.91% | 1,776 | |
| Total Votes | 45,431 | |||
| Source: West Virginia Secretary of State | ||||
The following candidates ran in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 32 Democratic primary.[6][7]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 32, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Shirley Love |
15.57% | 3,460 | |
| Democratic | John Pino |
13.54% | 3,010 | |
| Democratic | Margaret Staggers |
17.83% | 3,962 | |
| Democratic | Tighe Bullock | 3.97% | 883 | |
| Democratic | Joel Davis | 7.82% | 1,737 | |
| Democratic | Randy Halsey | 5.57% | 1,238 | |
| Democratic | Luke Lively | 11.24% | 2,498 | |
| Democratic | William R. Sulesky | 3.05% | 677 | |
| Democratic | Dustin Teel | 2.66% | 591 | |
| Democratic | Greg Crist | 10.85% | 2,412 | |
| Democratic | Mel Kessler | 7.90% | 1,756 | |
| Total Votes | 22,224 | |||
Austin Haynes, incumbent Kayla Kessinger and incumbent Tom Fast were unopposed in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 32 Republican primary.[6][7]
| West Virginia House of Delegates District 32, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Austin Haynes | |
| Republican | Kayla Kessinger Incumbent | |
| Republican | Tom Fast Incumbent | |
Primary race background
- Main article: West Virginia races we're watching, 2016
Pino and Staggers, who previously represented House District 32, were defeated in the 2014 general election; they were edged out by current Republican incumbents Kessinger and Fast as well as outgoing Democratic incumbent Perry.
2014
Elections for the West Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 13, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was January 25, 2014. Mick Bates defeated Gordie Roop and Mel Kessler in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Linda Sumner was unopposed in the Republican primary. Bates defeated Sumner in the general election.[2][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mick Bates |
51% | 2,662 | |
| Republican | Linda Sumner Incumbent | 49% | 2,561 | |
| Total Votes | 5,223 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Mick Bates |
59% | 1,072 |
| Gordie Roop | 24.5% | 446 |
| Mel Kessler | 16.5% | 299 |
| Total Votes | 1,817 | |
2010
Kessler was defeated in District 27 on the ballot in the November 2, 2010, general election. He was one of nine candidates running for the five positions in District 27. Kessler defeated Democrat Burge Speilman in the primary. He was opposed in the general election by Democratic incumbents Virginia Mahan, Rick Moye, Sally Matz Susman and William Wooton; Republican incumbent Linda Sumner, and Republicans Richard Franklin, John David O'Neal,and Rick Snuffer. The top five vote-getters were elected.[9][10]
| West Virginia House of Delegates, District 27 Democratic Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Ricky Duane Moye (D)
|
4,346 | 14.89% | ||
| William Robert Wooton (D)
|
4,183 | 14.33% | ||
| Melvin Ray Kessler (D)
|
3,757 | 12.87% | ||
| Virginia Mahan (D)
|
3,670 | 12.58% | ||
| Sally Matz Susman (D)
|
3,338 | 11.44% | ||
| Burge Lee Speilman (D) | 2,952 | 10.12% | ||
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kessler and his wife, Dolly, have a son.[11]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Mel + Kessler + West + Virginia + House"
See also
- West Virginia State Legislature
- West Virginia House of Delegates
- West Virginia House of Delegates District 32
- West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2016
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Listing By Office," accessed February 1, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate search," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed April 24, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate search," accessed November 4, 2016
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "2016 official general election results," accessed May 3, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Candidate Listing by Office," accessed January 30, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 10, 2016," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - General Election - November 2, 2010," accessed February 11, 2014
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Statewide Results - Primary Election - May 11, 2010," accessed February 11, 2014
- ↑ Register Herald, "Kessler seeks 30th District House seat," February 1, 2014 (dead link)
