Gilmer sheriff running for magistrate with dubious educational background | The West Virginia Record

Despite having questionable educational qualifications, a candidate for magistrate in Gilmer County is on this May's primary election ballot.

Four candidates -- Carol Wolfe, Alton Skinner, Bill Stalnaker and Mickey Metz -- are seeking the Democratic nomination for one of the two seats for magistrate. Wolfe currently holds one of the seats, and the other is open following the announcement of incumbent Bob Minigh he would not be seeking re-election.

Of the four candidates, three -- Wolfe, Skinner and Stalnaker -- all have at least a high school diploma or GED, the minimum educational qualifications required by state law to run for magistrate. Additionally, Wolfe has a bachelor's degree from Glenville State College in social work, and a master's degree from Marshall University in counseling.

Metz, the incumbent sheriff who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third successive term, provided the Gilmer Clerk's Office a diploma he received on Nov. 23 from Adison High School. The diploma contains signatures of four people purporting to be AHS' president, superintendant, secretary of the school board and principal.

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