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1976Final resultsIncumbent defeated

1976 Democratic primary for West Virginia Delegate District 17

West Virginia House of Delegates · West Virginia

Martha Wehrle (D) won with 4.7% of the vote, defeating Leonard Underwood (D) by 2.0 points.

Martha WehrleDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.7%16,912
Larry SonisDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.3%15,426
John BoettnerDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.1%14,770
John Slack IIIDemocrat · winner
3.9%13,939
E. M. JohnsonDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.6%12,949
Jack CanfieldDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.6%12,754
Lyle SattesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.3%11,738
Walton ShepherdDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.2%11,617
William DoddDemocrat · winner
3.2%11,608
Roger W. TompkinsDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.2%11,549
Leon CopelandDemocrat · winner · incumbent
3.1%11,047
Darrell E. HolmesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
2.8%10,192
Helaine RotginDemocrat · winner
2.8%10,013
Leonard UnderwoodDemocrat
2.7%9,593
Harry NewellDemocrat
2.5%9,059
Rudy SeacristDemocrat
2.4%8,595
John PayneDemocrat · incumbent
2.3%8,194
June BledsoeDemocrat
2.1%7,668
Robert BlandDemocrat
2.0%7,277
Harold T. McCoyDemocrat
2.0%7,165
Tom BumgardnerDemocrat
2.0%7,091
Richard A. KennedyDemocrat
1.9%6,792
George PriceDemocrat
1.8%6,280
Doug MillerDemocrat
1.6%5,706
Ben D. GriffithDemocrat
1.6%5,679
Willard SullivanDemocrat
1.6%5,567
Barbara J. EggletonDemocrat
1.5%5,440
George D. TuckerDemocrat
1.3%4,774
Larry E. HunterDemocrat
1.3%4,694
Bobby K. ArbogastDemocrat
1.3%4,670
Phyllis M. HarmonDemocrat
1.3%4,490
Paul KuhnDemocrat
1.2%4,400
Carol Sue GraleyDemocrat
1.2%4,179
Virginia CracraftDemocrat
1.2%4,162
James E. AmburgyDemocrat
1.2%4,138
Don V. SpauldingDemocrat
1.1%3,875
Jack L. HickokDemocrat
1.1%3,770
David B. HallDemocrat
1.0%3,761
Russell E. StoneDemocrat
1.0%3,704
Samuel D. SayreDemocrat
1.0%3,613
James E. PylesDemocrat
1.0%3,516
James T. Baldwin Jr.Democrat
1.0%3,419
Peggy EasterDemocrat
0.9%3,389
Harold FieldsDemocrat
0.9%3,375
George F. CummingsDemocrat
0.9%3,179
Frederick M. BowlesDemocrat
0.8%2,993
Ruth L. SpauldingDemocrat
0.8%2,689
Charles C. QuigleyDemocrat
0.7%2,666
Edward NelsonDemocrat
0.7%2,539
Clarence W. CoxDemocrat
0.7%2,444
Charles F. HeraldDemocrat
0.7%2,349
James H. CampbellDemocrat
0.6%2,234
David WibbergDemocrat
0.5%1,788
Ron SmithDemocrat
0.5%1,654
Delwyn L. MaggardDemocrat
0.4%1,354
358,438 votes

Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET

The candidates

Martha Wehrle (D)Larry Sonis (D)

Also on the ballot: John Boettner (Democrat), 4.1%; John Slack III (Democrat), 3.9%; E. M. Johnson (Democrat), 3.6%; Jack Canfield (Democrat), 3.6%; Lyle Sattes (Democrat), 3.3%; Walton Shepherd (Democrat), 3.2%; William Dodd (Democrat), 3.2%; Roger W. Tompkins (Democrat), 3.2%; Leon Copeland (Democrat), 3.1%; Darrell E. Holmes (Democrat), 2.8%; Helaine Rotgin (Democrat), 2.8%; Leonard Underwood (Democrat), 2.7%; Harry Newell (Democrat), 2.5%; Rudy Seacrist (Democrat), 2.4%; John Payne (Democrat), 2.3%; June Bledsoe (Democrat), 2.1%; Robert Bland (Democrat), 2.0%; Harold T. McCoy (Democrat), 2.0%; Tom Bumgardner (Democrat), 2.0%; Richard A. Kennedy (Democrat), 1.9%; George Price (Democrat), 1.8%; Doug Miller (Democrat), 1.6%; Ben D. Griffith (Democrat), 1.6%; Willard Sullivan (Democrat), 1.6%; Barbara J. Eggleton (Democrat), 1.5%; George D. Tucker (Democrat), 1.3%; Larry E. Hunter (Democrat), 1.3%; Bobby K. Arbogast (Democrat), 1.3%; Phyllis M. Harmon (Democrat), 1.3%; Paul Kuhn (Democrat), 1.2%; Carol Sue Graley (Democrat), 1.2%; Virginia Cracraft (Democrat), 1.2%; James E. Amburgy (Democrat), 1.2%; Don V. Spaulding (Democrat), 1.1%; Jack L. Hickok (Democrat), 1.1%; David B. Hall (Democrat), 1.0%; Russell E. Stone (Democrat), 1.0%; Samuel D. Sayre (Democrat), 1.0%; James E. Pyles (Democrat), 1.0%; James T. Baldwin Jr. (Democrat), 1.0%; Peggy Easter (Democrat), 0.9%; Harold Fields (Democrat), 0.9%; George F. Cummings (Democrat), 0.9%; Frederick M. Bowles (Democrat), 0.8%; Ruth L. Spaulding (Democrat), 0.8%; Charles C. Quigley (Democrat), 0.7%; Edward Nelson (Democrat), 0.7%; Clarence W. Cox (Democrat), 0.7%; Charles F. Herald (Democrat), 0.7%; James H. Campbell (Democrat), 0.6%; David Wibberg (Democrat), 0.5%; Ron Smith (Democrat), 0.5%; Delwyn L. Maggard (Democrat), 0.4%