162,349 West Virginians Voted Early, Up 24% From 2022 Midterms

West Virginians have already made their voices heard in a big way, and Election Day hasn't even arrived yet. County clerks across the state reported 162,349 ballots cast during the early in-person voting period, which ran from Wednesday, Oct. 21, through Saturday, Oct. 31, according to Secretary of State Kris Warner.

That's a 24% jump over the last midterm general election in 2022, when 131,404 voters cast ballots during early voting. And the increase wasn't limited to one side. The Secretary of State's office says early voting among registered Republicans rose 28% compared to 2022, unaffiliated voters climbed 31%, and Democrats were up 19%. The figures are unofficial.

The numbers so far

Counting absentee ballots, the state had 169,350 ballots cast as of the last day of early voting. Of the 9,735 absentee ballots requested, 7,001 had been returned. That total works out to nearly 14% of West Virginia's 1,210,297 registered voters before a single precinct opens on Election Day.

Monongalia County was among the busiest in the state, with 13,576 early ballots cast, the third-highest early turnout of any county. Harrison County reported 5,727 early ballots and Marion County 5,529.

This is Warner's first statewide general election as West Virginia's chief elections official. He credited the rise in turnout to how easy it has become to register to vote in the Mountain State.

Your turn Tuesday

If you haven't voted yet, Tuesday, Nov. 3, is the day. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. in every precinct, and you'll vote at your own assigned polling place. "Voters in line by 7:30 p.m. will be guaranteed the opportunity to vote," Warner said, encouraging West Virginians to keep the early-voting momentum going.

Election Day is also a state holiday in West Virginia, so many schools, DMV regional offices and state offices will be closed. Anyone who suspects an election law violation can report it to the Secretary of State's Investigations Division toll-free at 877-FRAUD-WV.

From the courthouse steps in the smallest county seat to the busiest precincts in Morgantown, it's been a strong showing so far. West Virginia Pulse will be following the results as they come in Tuesday night.