|Photo by Emma Delk| 1st Judicial Circuit Bench Candidate Joe Barki, center, hosted a candidate meet-and-greet Monday night at the Bridge Tavern.
Voters in Hancock, Brooke and Ohio counties have selected long-time Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Barki III to serve their communities as 1st Judicial Circuit Court judge.
Barki received 2,176 votes, or 49.28%; while incumbent Ronald Wilson, a judge for the 1st Judicial Circuit for 40 years, received 2,029 votes, or 45.95%.
A third candidate in the nonpartisan race — Wheeling attorney Dean Elliott Williams — received 21 votes.
Barki has served as Brooke County prosecuting attorney or assistant prosecutor for 21 years, and has chaired the Weirton-Brooke-Hancock Drug Task Force and the Northern Panhandle Community Correction Board, which oversees the Lee Day Report Center, as well as serving on other boards.
Regarding his victory in the election, Barki said, “I’m very excited. I’m very thankful for all of the voters’ support.”
He also expressed gratitude for the support of his family and friends as he pursued the judicial seat.
Barki said it was “a big decision” to run for a seat held by a long-time judicial official but he felt the time was right for him to do so.
“I’m very proud and I will do everything I can do to serve the people in my circuit,” he added.
Barki noted he will continue to serve as Brooke County prosecutor until Jan. 1 and upon filling the bench, must preside over criminal cases in another county, at least for a couple of years, to prevent a conflict of interest.