Charlotte Pritt
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Pritt is an educator, businesswoman, and politician in the U.S. state
of West Virginia
. From 1984 to 1988, she served in the West Virginia House of Delegates
. From 1988 to 1996, she served in the West Virginia State Senate. In 1996, she ran as a Democrat
for governor and lost narrowly, but made history as the first woman to secure the gubernatorial nomination of either of the two major political parties. Today, she is the president of Better Balance, a West Virginia-based educational and wellness consulting firm.
Before securing the Democratic nomination in 1996, Pritt also ran for Governor in the primary election in 1992, but lost to Gaston Caperton
. She gained notoriety initially by challenging then-Governor Caperton on his grocery and gasoline taxes and opposition to collective bargaining. Pritt entered the race in 1992 after 100,000 people signed a petition. Prior to entering politics, Pritt was a high school English teacher and a college professor teaching on all levels of education. She directed two Federal education grants, the National Writing Program in West Virginia, and is an emminent educator of note.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. From 1984 to 1988, she served in the West Virginia House of Delegates
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.-Historical:-Current:-District organization:...
. From 1988 to 1996, she served in the West Virginia State Senate. In 1996, she ran as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
for governor and lost narrowly, but made history as the first woman to secure the gubernatorial nomination of either of the two major political parties. Today, she is the president of Better Balance, a West Virginia-based educational and wellness consulting firm.
Before securing the Democratic nomination in 1996, Pritt also ran for Governor in the primary election in 1992, but lost to Gaston Caperton
Gaston Caperton
William Gaston Caperton III was the 31st Governor of the U.S. state of West Virginia from 1989 until 1997. He is currently the president of the College Board, which administers the nationally recognized SAT and AP tests. Caperton announced his intention to step down as president of the College...
. She gained notoriety initially by challenging then-Governor Caperton on his grocery and gasoline taxes and opposition to collective bargaining. Pritt entered the race in 1992 after 100,000 people signed a petition. Prior to entering politics, Pritt was a high school English teacher and a college professor teaching on all levels of education. She directed two Federal education grants, the National Writing Program in West Virginia, and is an emminent educator of note.