RANSON -- Far too often, the claim is made that going out and voting is unimportant, as one person's vote cannot make a difference.

Yet, for multiple political candidates across the state, that has proven to be anything but the case.

"I ended up losing my election by one vote - I was very educated by that process," said former West Virginia Delegate Josh Barker. "I didn't fight it, though I did go for a recount."

Barker, who lost his seat in District 22, now serves the state of West Virginia as a civil servant in the role of director of substance abuse, prevention and outreach at the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General.

Over in Wheeling, city council member Connie Cain was in a similarly close election last year, narrowly beating out the incumbent for the Ward 3 seat.

"I won

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