# Frank Blackwell

Frank Lee "Bucky" Blackwell (June 9, 1947 – January 4, 2025) was an American academic administrator and politician from the state of West Virginia. He served as a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1976 to 1982 and again in 2016.

## Life and career

Blackwell was born on June 9, 1947, in Mullens, West Virginia, the son of James R. "Tuck" and Kathleen (née Pinkerton) Blackwell. He earned degrees in elementary education in 1969 and educational administration in 1971 from Marshall University. He married Trudy Canterbury on April 4, 1970, and they would have two children. He worked as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent for a total of 15 years, then as superintendent of Wyoming County schools from 1982 to 2016. He was honored as West Virginia superintendent of the year in 2016. Blackwell was appointed by Governor Jim Justice as Executive Director of the School Building Authority of West Virginia, serving in that position from January 24, 2017, until he submitted his resignation in March 2018. He also served as a member of the board of governors of Concord University from his appointment by Governor Joe Manchin in March 2008 through June 2016, including as its chair from 2009 to 2013.
In 1976, Blackwell was elected to represent the 15th district, comprising Boone and Wyoming counties, in the West Virginia House of Delegates. He was re-elected in 1978 and 1980. On January 12, 2016, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin appointed Blackwell to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of 25th district delegate Linda Phillips. He represented the district, comprising most of Wyoming County and parts McDowell and Mercer counties, during the 2016 legislative session, but lost election to the seat that fall.
Blackwell died at CAMC Memorial Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia, on January 4, 2025, at the age of 77. He had fought an extended battle with sarcoma.

## Electoral history
### 1976
#### General election

West Virginia House of Delegates, District 15, 1976 general election * denotes incumbent     Source: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Blackwell | 16,220 | 31.4 |
| | Democratic | Thomas Goodwin * | 14,826 | 28.7 |
| | Democratic | Troy Wayne Hendricks | 14,777 | 28.6 |
| | Republican | Delmer Sanders | 5,788 | 11.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 51,611 | 100 |

### 1978
#### General election

West Virginia House of Delegates, District 15, 1978 general election * denotes incumbent     Source: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Blackwell * | 10,410 | 30.9 |
| | Democratic | Troy Wayne Hendricks * | 9,483 | 28.1 |
| | Democratic | Thomas Goodwin * | 8,868 | 26.3 |
| | Republican | Delmer Sanders | 4,914 | 14.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 33,675 | 100 |

### 1980
#### General election

West Virginia House of Delegates, District 15, 1980 general election * denotes incumbent     Source: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Troy Wayne Hendricks * | 14,384 | 25.9 |
| | Democratic | Bruce Williams | 14,286 | 25.7 |
| | Democratic | Frank Blackwell * | 14,029 | 25.2 |
| | Republican | Bill Miller | 6,655 | 12.0 |
| | Republican | Romey Nelson | 6,227 | 11.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,581 | 100 |

### 2016
#### Primary election

West Virginia House of Delegates, District 25, 2016 primary election * denotes incumbent     Source: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Frank Blackwell * | 2,099 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,099 | 100 |

#### General election

West Virginia House of Delegates, District 25, 2016 general election * denotes incumbent     Source: :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tony Paynter | 3,880 | 59.6 |
| | Democratic | Frank Blackwell * | 2,633 | 40.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,513 | 100 |