Coder gets second nod for commissioner
WAYNESBURG – The second Democratic nomination for Greene County commissioner was won by Dave Coder, a former county commissioner, who bested incumbent Commissioner Chuck Morris by 18 votes in Tuesday’s primary election.
The results were decided shortly before noon Wednesday after the county elections office completed the counting of votes cast by absentee ballot.
Election results Tuesday night, which did not include a tally of votes from absentee ballots, showed incumbent Commissioner Blair Zimmerman a clear winner.
For the second nomination, however, Tuesday’s election results showed Coder with only a 24-vote lead over Morris, making the race too close to call when 225 absentee ballots had still yet to be counted.
“I’m just so thankful to the voters of Greene County,” Coder said Wednesday afternoon. “I really appreciate their support.”
Coder who served as county commissioner for 14 years, from 1996 to 2010, said he was not too surprised about the closeness of the race.
“Running against two incumbents is tough in any election,” he said.
Morris, who was appointed commissioner in August 2010 and then elected to a full term in 2011, said he was disappointed with the results.
“I’m disappointed I was not successful,” Morris said. “I wish both Blair and Dave much success in the fall.”
The tally released Wednesday, which included the votes from 225 absentee ballots, showed Zimmerman with 2,999 votes, Coder with 2,558 and Morris with 2,540.
The results will remain unofficial until the elections office completes its canvass and the election is certified by the board, said Tina Kiger, director of the county elections office.
However, the results probably will remain unchanged. Very seldom are there any changes in the election machine totals or the absentee ballot results, Kiger said.
Zimmerman and Coder will appear on the ballot in the fall with the two Republican nominees, incumbent Archie Trader and newcomer Keith McClure, who were unopposed.
According to the unofficial results, Trader received 1,462 votes and McClure, 1,170 votes.