From left, West Virginia State Delegate Bob Ferhenbacher and John Coe speak with Randy Modesitt in November 2024 after Modesitt won an election to serve the remainder of a vacant term. He received 11,175 votes. (File photo)

A member of the Wood County Board of Education has withdrawn his candidacy in the May election.

Randy Modesitt of Parkersburg on Tuesday said he was “downsizing” and buying another home.

“My wife and I are selling our home on Park Avenue,” he said.

Modestitt was elected in November 2024 to serve the remainder of the term in a vacancy created when Debbie Hendershot in Magisterial District A resigned from the school board to run for Wood County Magistrate. Hendershot, who came in second in the election for magistrate, was appointed to the school board about two weeks after the general election in November 2024 when Sarah Townsend resigned, this time from District C.

Modesitt said he wanted to thank the people who voted for him and that he has enjoyed serving on the Board of Education. The new home may not be in District A, he said.

The deadline to withdraw a candidacy and not be on the ballot was on Feb. 17, County Clerk Joe Gonzalez, the county’s chief elections officer, said.

Ballot positions were drawn on Tuesday for the primary election, he said.

Modesitt filed his withdrawal on Feb. 17, according to the notice filed with the county clerk.

“He will not be on the ballot,” Gonzalez said.

Two other candidates are running in District A in the non-partisan school board election. They are John D. Merritt of Brentwood Drive, Parkersburg, and Simon Hargus, also of Brentwood Drive.

No more than two people from the same magisterial district can serve on the school board. The possible outcomes in the election in May, according to the clerk’s office, would be to: elect one from District A, one from District B and one from District C; two from District C and one from District A or one from District B.

Other candidates for the Board of Education are: incumbent Justin Raber of 47th Place, Vienna, Allen W. Shultz of 31st Street, Vienna, and Haley Meredith of Greenmont Hills, Vienna in District B; and Kevin Burkman of Pleasant Hill Church Road, Belleville; Hendershot of South Oak Street, Washington, W.Va; Jim Stout of Spring Hill Road, Mineral Wells, and Jason McCrady of Edgelawn Street, Parkersburg, in District C.