More Than 115,000 West Virginians Have Already Voted as Early Voting Enters Final Days

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians are showing up. More than 115,000 ballots have already been cast ahead of Tuesday’s general election, and anyone who still wants to beat the Election Day rush has until Saturday evening to do it.

According to Secretary of State Kris Warner’s office, counties reported 109,902 early in-person votes and 5,953 returned absentee ballots through the end of the day Wednesday, for a total of 115,855 ballots. Another 9,584 absentee ballots had been requested but not yet returned at that point.

That works out to about 9.6% of the state’s registered voters, and Warner said early turnout is running roughly 30% ahead of the same stretch of the 2022 midterm election. For a state of about 1.2 million registered voters, that’s a whole lot of folks who decided not to wait.

Who’s voting so far

Data released by the Secretary of State’s Office shows registered Republicans holding a slim statewide edge in early ballots: 47,153 Republicans had voted in person or returned an absentee ballot as of Wednesday, compared with 45,333 Democrats. Voters registered with no party or another unrecognized party accounted for 22,845 early ballots.

The picture looks different in some of the state’s most closely watched legislative races. In Cabell and Wayne counties, where an open state Senate seat is on the ballot, 3,807 Democrats had voted early or returned an absentee ballot, compared with 3,337 Republicans.

In the Northern Panhandle counties of Ohio, Brooke, Hancock and Marshall, where a first-term Republican incumbent faces a challenge from the House minority whip, Democrats led 2,943 to 2,715. And in Marion and Monongalia counties, where two longtime politicians are facing off for a state Senate seat, the gap was wider still, with 6,448 Democrats to 4,054 Republicans.

Early ballots only show who has voted, not how they voted, and plenty of West Virginians still plan to cast their ballots on Election Day.

What you need to know before you go

Early in-person voting continues through Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. Every one of West Virginia’s 55 counties has at least one early voting location, so check with your county clerk for the site and hours closest to you.

If you miss early voting, Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters who requested an absentee ballot should follow the instructions that came with it and get it back in time to be counted.

Whether you vote Saturday or Tuesday, it’s your voice and your state. Make a plan, bring a neighbor, and let’s keep those numbers climbing, West Virginia.