Walter D. Helmick (April 25, 1944 – September 6, 2025) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as the Commissioner of Agriculture of the state of West Virginia. He was elected to the position in 2012, defeating Republican nominee Kent Leonhardt. In 2016, Leonhardt defeated him in a rematch. Previously, he was a member of the West Virginia Senate, representing the 15th district from 1990 to 2012. Earlier he was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1988 through 1989, served on the Pocahontas County Commission and on the Pocahontas County School Board.

Walt Helmick died from cancer on September 6, 2025, at the age of 81.

Electoral history

West Virginia House of Delegates 27th District Democratic Primary Election, 1988
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJoe Martin3,66723.63
DemocraticWalt Helmick3,06519.75
DemocraticBill Proudfoot2,50816.16
Democratic"Stratt" Ogden Sr.2,04413.17
DemocraticJudith Seaman1,66910.75
DemocraticJames "Ross" Ware1,1607.47
DemocraticFrank Rowe8885.72
DemocraticKatherine Wright Fagan5193.34
West Virginia House of Delegates 27th District Election, 1988
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick7,90832.56
DemocraticJoe Martin7,03428.96
RepublicanJimmie Ryder Sr.5,11321.05
RepublicanPhillip Cupp4,23217.42
West Virginia Senate 12th District Democratic Primary Election, 1990
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick8,64650.79
DemocraticD. P. Given4,91628.88
DemocraticGeorge "Geo." Kallai3,46120.33
West Virginia Senate 12th District Election, 1990
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick17,33965.86
RepublicanAshley Morrissette8,98934.14
West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 1994
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)16,42060.40
RepublicanAubry Wilson10,76639.60
West Virginia Senate 15th District Democratic Primary Election, 1998
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)7,31661.09
DemocraticLeslee McCarty2,93424.50
DemocraticTom Jones1,72514.41
West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 1998
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)14,87960.69
RepublicanLes Shoemaker Jr.9,63839.31
West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)14,63055.70
RepublicanChris Davis10,46139.83
MountainKit Patten1,1734.47
West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick (inc.)21,50999.57
Write-inJeremy Donald Bauserman920.43
West Virginia Senate 15th District Democratic Primary Election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Dolph Helmick (inc.)6,86467.47
DemocraticThomas Paul Ditty3,31032.53
West Virginia Senate 15th District Election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Dolph Helmick (inc.)19,19257.01
RepublicanJeremy Donald Bauserman14,47042.99
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Democratic Primary Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick59,37632.89
DemocraticSally Shepherd44,45424.62
DemocraticSteve Miller39,13021.67
DemocraticJoe Messineo24,61313.63
DemocraticBob Tabb12,9767.19
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWalt Helmick316,59151.59
RepublicanKent Leonhardt297,08848.41
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Election, 2016
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanKent Leonhardt321,56048.41
DemocraticWalt Helmick274,19141.28
LibertarianBuddy A. Guthrie68,50210.31

External links

  • profile
  • Follow the Money - Walt Helmick Senate campaign contributions
Party political offices
Preceded byGus DouglassDemocratic nominee for Agriculture Commissioner of West Virginia 2012, 2016Succeeded byBob Beach