Democratic Party primaries in West Virginia, 2018

Elections in West Virginia, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16
• Early voting: Oct. 24 - Nov. 3
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 5

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
• Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

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On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • House of Delegates • Supreme court • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • Democratic primaries • Republican primaries

Click here for primary election results.

Democratic Party primaries, 2018

Primary Date

May 8, 2018

Federal elections

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate

Democratic primaries for U.S. House

State elections

Democratic primaries for West Virginia legislature

State party

Democratic Party of West Virginia

State political party revenue

Democratic primary voters in West Virginia determined the fate of a primary challenge to sitting Sen. Joe Manchin (D) from activist Paula Jean Swearengin (D), who has been endorsed by Brand New Congress. As of the yearend 2017 campaign finance reports, Manchin had $4.7 million cash on hand to Swearengin's $57,000.

Also on the ballot are primary elections for each of the state's three U.S. House districts. In the Democratic primary for West Virginia's 3rd Congressional District, state Del. Shirley Love (D) and state Sen. Richard Ojeda (D) are among the four candidates contesting the party's nomination. Although Love had not yet raised any funds as of the yearend 2017 campaign finance report, Ojeda had raised $9,700, trailing withdrawn candidate Steve Williams, who had raised $78,000.

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in West Virginia on May 8, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.

National background

Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.

Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018. Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.

Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.

Federal elections

On May 8, 2018, primary elections took place in West Virginia for one U.S. Senate seat and for three seats in the U.S. House.

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in West Virginia (May 8, 2018 Democratic primary)

Incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin III (D) defeated one primary challenger, Paula Jean Swearengin, in the Democratic Party's primary election. Swearengin challenged Manchin from the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party. She had the support of the political action committee Brand New Congress. To see a full list of candidates in the Democratic primary, click "Show more" below.

Show more

 Democratic primary candidates

• Joe Manchin III (Incumbent) ✔
• Paula Jean Swearengin

Did not make the ballot:

• Chase Henderson

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in West Virginia (May 8, 2018 Democratic primaries)

The 2018 U.S. House of Representatives elections in West Virginia took place on November 6, 2018. Voters elected three candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's three congressional districts. In 2017, the DCCC identified West Virginia's 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts as targeted races.

District 1

 Democratic primary candidates

• Ralph Baxter
• Kendra Fershee ✔
• Tom Payne

Did not make the ballot:

• Michael Manypenny

District 2

 Democratic primary candidates

• Aaron Scheinberg
• Talley Sergent ✔

District 3

 Democratic primary candidates

• Paul Davis
• Janice Hagerman
• Shirley Love
• Richard Ojeda ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Steve Williams

State elections

West Virginia Party Control: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Seven years of Republican trifectas

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Governor	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of West Virginia

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of West Virginia's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.

Democratic Party of West Virginia revenue, 2011 to 2016
Year	Federal account	State account(s)	Total
2011	$406,422.59	--	$406,422.59
2012	$720,086.60	$19,786.00	$739,872.60
2013	$411,518.55	--	$411,518.55
2014	$1,959,930.87	$7,000.00	$1,966,930.87
2015	$503,107.07	--	$503,107.07
2016	$2,897,721.68	$142,568.45	$3,040,290.13

West Virginia compared to other states

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:

Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016

Primary election scheduling

West Virginia was one of four states to hold a primary election on May 8, 2018.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. West Virginia utilizes a semi-closed primary system where parties may decide if unaffiliated voters can vote in their primaries.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In West Virginia, all polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A voter who is in line at the time polls close must still be permitted to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in West Virginia, an individual must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of West Virginia, and at least 18 years of age by the date of the next general election.

The registration deadline is 21 days prior to an election. An individual may register to vote by submitting a form by mail to his or her county clerk's office or the Secretary of State's Office. Registration can be completed online, in person at the county clerk's office, the Secretary of State's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, any public assistance office, any agency that serves people with disabilities, any marriage license office, or any military recruiting agency.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

West Virginia automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

West Virginia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

West Virginia does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

An individual must have resided in the state for at least 30 days of residency before they may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

West Virginia does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The West Virginia Secretary of State's office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

West Virginia requires voters to present identification while voting. The identification provided must be issued either by the State of West Virginia, or one of its subsidiaries, or by the United States government.

Signed into law in 2025, HB 3016 established that a document was valid if it:

• Has been issued either by the State of West Virginia, one of its political subdivisions or instrumentalities, or by the United States Government;
• Contains the name of the person desiring to vote; and
• Contains a photograph of the person desiring to vote. Provided that a driver’s license or identification card issued in accordance with §17B-2-1(f)(4) of the West Virginia code that does not contain a photograph of the person desiring to vote is a valid identifying document.

State law enumerates the following identifications that an individual may use to vote:

• A valid West Virginia driver’s license or valid West Virginia identification card issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, including a driver’s license or identification card issued in accordance with §17B-2-1(f)(4) of the West Virginia code
• A valid driver’s license issued by a state other than the State of West Virginia
• A valid United States passport or passport card
• A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States Government or of the State of West Virginia, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of West Virginia
• A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by an institution of higher education in West Virginia, or a valid high school identification card issued by a West Virginia high school
• A valid military identification card issued by the United States with a photograph of the person desiring to vote
• A valid voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph issued by a county clerk in the State of West Virginia or the Secretary of State. The county clerk or the Secretary of State may not charge or collect a fee for the application or issuance of a voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph

Lastly, state law provided for the following exceptions and alternative methods of verifying a voter's identity:

• Any expired document identified above is a valid identifying document if presented by a registered voter 65 years of age or older, provided that the identifying document was not expired on the registered voter’s 65th birthday.
• In lieu of providing a valid identifying document a registered voter may be accompanied at the polling place by an adult known to the registered voter for at least six months. That adult may sign an affidavit on a form provided to clerks and poll workers by the Secretary of State, which states under oath or affirmation that the adult has known the registered voter for at least six months, and that in fact the registered voter is the same person who is present for the purpose of voting. For the affidavit to be considered valid, the adult shall present a valid identifying document with his or her name, address, and photograph.
• A poll worker may allow a voter, whom the poll worker has known for at least six months, to vote without presenting a valid identifying document.
• If the person desiring to vote is unable to furnish a valid identifying document, or if the poll clerk determines that the proof of identification presented by the voter does not qualify as a valid identifying document, the person desiring to vote shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot after executing an affidavit affirming his or her identity.

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card at their county clerk’s office.

Early voting

West Virginia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Voters in West Virginia are eligible to vote absentee in an election "if the voter is 'confined,' or not in their home county, for the entire duration of in-person voting (both the early voting period and on Election Day)," for one of the following reasons:

• “Injury or illness”
• “Disability or 'extreme advanced age'”
• “Incarceration or home detention (does not include individuals convicted of any felony, treason, or election bribery)”
• “Work hours and distance from county seat”
• “Inaccessible early voting site and polling place”
• “Personal or business travel”
• “Attendance at college or other place of education or training”
• “Temporary residence outside of the county”
• “Service as an elected or appointed state or federal official”

To vote absentee, a request must be received by the county clerk no later than the sixth day prior to the election.

See also

Federal primaries in West Virginia	State primaries in West Virginia	West Virginia state party apparatus	West Virginia voter information
Democratic primaries for U.S. House Democratic primary for U.S. Senate	State government trifectas Democratic primaries for West Virginia legislature	Democratic Party of West Virginia Republican Party of West Virginia State political party revenue	Voting in West Virginia Ballot access requirements for political candidates in West Virginia Redistricting in West Virginia