W.Va. District 4 Voters To Elect New Delegate — Ennis Or Jividen
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WHEELING - Voters on Nov. 3 will elect a new member to represent District 4 in the West Virginia House of Delegates.
Republican Derek Ennis will face off against Democrat Joe Jividen in the contest. The last person elected to the seat, Republican Bill Flanigan, was elected to the West Virginia Supreme Court earlier this year and resigned his House seat.
Current Delegate Shane Stack, R-Ohio, was appointed to fill out the remainder of Flanigan’s term.
Ennis' message to voters is simple.
"Go vote on Nov. 3," he said. "That is how our country is led. People make decisions and choose the people they think are best to represent us."
Ennis noted the things he’s seen in the courts made him feel uneasy.
"I have direct experiences in life that make me want to make changes," he explained. "I'm not generally speaking about economic development or political improvements. I have a set agenda.
"I want to change family court so that children are considered first. That should be our primary focus - making sure all the legislators know the risks family court poses to our families. It brings financial risks, and it affects our relationships with our children and our ability to move forward in a positive direction."
Ennis indicated he wants to represent his constituents as fairly as possible.
"I will listen to different viewpoints and give them weight," he said.
Jividen reported he has knocked on "over 1,000 doors" this election cycle.
"I have had plenty of opportunities to have face-to-face interactions with the voters of District 4," he said. "I've done that by going to voters rather than waiting for them to come to me."
Those voters have been talking about affordability, education and senior issues, Jividen noted.
"I have always prided myself on having conversations with people I disagree with," he continued. "I'm not just knocking on the doors of a particular party. I am talking to everyone.
"That is the most important thing in government. We should be able to have civil conversations with people we disagree with."
He has also paid visits to the municipal councils representing four different governments within District 4 - Wheeling, Bethlehem, Triadelphia and Valley Grove.
"I've made it to as many of the council meetings that I could attend to learn from local leaders about what they are facing, and how I can be a partner in Charleston," Jividen said. "It has been very eye-opening, and a great way to meet constituents.
“I have an understanding from voters, rather than pretending I have all the answers."
Both candidates are making their first runs for public office.
Ennis grew up in West Liberty and graduated from Wheeling Park High School in 1997. He attended West Liberty University before transferring to Marshall University, where he earned a master’s degree in safety management.
Ennis started in construction and was the construction manager for the company that built the AEP chimney in Marshall County. Next, he moved on to the mining industry to work for CONSOL. He spent more than 13 years with a mine safety job in the mining industry, during which time CONSOL was sold to Murray Energy.
While at CONSOL, Ennis got involved with the Fire Brigades Mine Protection, a group of underground first responders, mine rescue and search teams. He served as the corporate trainer for the program at Murray Energy.
Later, his position at Murray Energy was eliminated during corporate restructuring. Today, he sells an air cleaning product for manufacturing settings.
Jividen is employed at Wheeling Country Day School in Wheeling, where he serves as the “Learning on Location” coordinator. His role is to take students into the community to show them what opportunities exist or to bring speakers and opportunities to speak to them.
Jividen is a Wheeling native who attended Steenrod Elementary before attending middle school and high school at The Linsly School.
He earned his undergraduate degree at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, where he played football. He went on to obtain a master’s in education from West Liberty University.
Jividen and his wife Ashley have two young children and he sits on the board at Holy Family Childcare.
The biggest issue affecting West Virginia is population decline, according to Ennis.
"It feeds into our tax structure, and feeds into our way to change our lives," he explained.
"(Achieving) stronger families is how we get our young ones to stick around. We have to give them reasons to stay in West Virginia."
Jividen said voters are telling him the biggest issue facing them at present is affordability.
"Whether it is somebody starting a new family, or a senior living on a fixed income, that is what I am hearing at every door," he continued.
The school funding formula, which hasn't been updated since 1982, also needs modernizing, according to Jividen.
"I hope to be a voice for Ohio County," Jividen said. "The other thing I hear from people is that politicians don't hear us. I hope to be a public servant who has an open door and an open mind. Both of those are important."