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This is the 1978 race. The latest: 2026 →

1978Final resultsIncumbent defeated

1978 election for West Virginia Delegate District 17

West Virginia House of Delegates · West Virginia

Martha Wehrle (D), Leo Kopelman (R), John Wells (R), Lyle Sattes (D), Thomas A. Knight (D), Roger W. Tompkins (D), Walton Shepherd (D), Walter Price (R), Darrell E. Holmes (D), Charlotte Lane (R), Samuel Rubin (R), John W. Biddle (R) and George Warner (R) won the district's 13 seats.

13 seats
Martha WehrleDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.7%32,009
Leo KopelmanRepublican · winner
4.6%31,826
John WellsRepublican · winner
4.2%28,666
Lyle SattesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.1%28,320
Thomas A. KnightDemocrat · winner
4.1%27,938
Roger W. TompkinsDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.1%27,812
Walton ShepherdDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.1%27,759
Walter PriceRepublican · winner
4.0%27,549
Darrell E. HolmesDemocrat · winner · incumbent
4.0%27,147
Charlotte LaneRepublican · winner
3.9%27,008
Samuel RubinRepublican · winner
3.9%26,805
John W. BiddleRepublican · winner
3.9%26,755
George WarnerRepublican · winner
3.8%25,997
Ruth GoldsmithRepublican
3.8%25,938
Eric NelsonRepublican
3.8%25,701
John Slack IIIDemocrat · incumbent
3.7%25,239
Joe F. SmithRepublican
3.7%25,176
Glen A. KnappRepublican
3.6%24,872
John S. Governor IVDemocrat
3.6%24,848
William DoddDemocrat · incumbent
3.6%24,833
Rudy SeacristDemocrat
3.6%24,475
Hayward B. HillRepublican
3.6%24,462
Roy B. DunnRepublican
3.5%23,981
Roy RogersDemocrat
3.4%23,455
June BledsoeDemocrat
3.4%23,160
J. Edward Hafer Jr.Democrat
3.3%22,804
684,535 votes

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

The seat over time

D − R margin in this seat's races around 1978

Races before and after

EvenD+7.51974D+7.91976R+1.51978Even1980

Source: Past results: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

The candidates

Martha Wehrle (D)Leo Kopelman (R)

Also on the ballot: John Wells (Republican), 4.2%; Lyle Sattes (Democrat), 4.1%; Thomas A. Knight (Democrat), 4.1%; Roger W. Tompkins (Democrat), 4.1%; Walton Shepherd (Democrat), 4.1%; Walter Price (Republican), 4.0%; Darrell E. Holmes (Democrat), 4.0%; Charlotte Lane (Republican), 3.9%; Samuel Rubin (Republican), 3.9%; John W. Biddle (Republican), 3.9%; George Warner (Republican), 3.8%; Ruth Goldsmith (Republican), 3.8%; Eric Nelson (Republican), 3.8%; John Slack III (Democrat), 3.7%; Joe F. Smith (Republican), 3.7%; Glen A. Knapp (Republican), 3.6%; John S. Governor IV (Democrat), 3.6%; William Dodd (Democrat), 3.6%; Rudy Seacrist (Democrat), 3.6%; Hayward B. Hill (Republican), 3.6%; Roy B. Dunn (Republican), 3.5%; Roy Rogers (Democrat), 3.4%; June Bledsoe (Democrat), 3.4%; J. Edward Hafer Jr. (Democrat), 3.3%