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Rules governing school board election dates and timing in West Virginia
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| West Virginia overview: • Election dates: Off cycle |
| Key policies: • Election dates and timing • Party labels on the ballot |
| Key terms • On-cycle elections • Off-cycle elections • Off-year elections • Off-date elections • Party labels • Partisan elections • Nonpartisan elections |
School board general elections in West Virginia are held on the date of the statewide primary election on the second Tuesday in May every two years in even-numbered years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
There were 55 public school districts in West Virginia with a total of 275 school board member seats as of 2023. Those school districts operated a total of 683 schools serving 263,486 students.
You will find the following information on this page:
- the timing and frequency of school board elections
- candidate filing deadlines
- the number of school board members
- the length of school board terms
- the way in which elections for different board seats are staggered
- how West Virginia compares to other states
- when new board members officially take office.
Across the country, there are 13,024 public school districts governed by a total of about 82,600 board members. Most school board members are elected directly by voters, while a small number of districts have appointed school board members or a combination of appointed and elected school board members.
The timing of elections for school board members varies widely across states and even across districts in the same state in some cases. In 14 states, most school board elections are held on-cycle with federal elections in November of even-numbered years. Most school board elections in the other states are held off-cycle. This includes off-date elections—for example, elections held in the spring or summer—and off-year elections held in odd-numbered years.
On-cycle local elections have higher voter turnout than off-cycle local elections.
The information in this page was last updated in 2022. Please email editor@ballotpedia.org with any updates, corrections, exceptions, or improvements.
Election dates and frequency
School board general elections in West Virginia are held on the date of the statewide primary election on the second Tuesday in May every two years in even-numbered years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Recent or upcoming election dates for all public school districts in the state
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for all public school districts in the state. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: January 31, 2026
- General election date: May 12, 2026
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
The deadline in West Virginia for school board candidates to file certificates of announcement declaring candidacy is on the last Saturday in January in the same year as the election (even-numbered years). The filing must be received or postmarked before midnight on the day of the deadline. Certificates of announcement must be sword statements before public notaries and must contain the election date, the office sought, the legal name and ballot name of the candidate, the candidate's residential address, and a good faith statement.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
School board candidates in West Virginia can begin filing certificates of announcement when the filing window opens on the second Monday in January in the same years as the election (even-numbered years).
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
Newly elected school board members in West Virginia officially take office on July 1 following their election.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1
Election system
Types of elections
School board members in West Virginia are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in West Virginia are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. West Virginia Code says that school board members must be "nominated and elected by the voters of the respective county without reference to political party affiliation."
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
What it takes to win an election
In West Virginia, the school board candidate that receives the most votes is elected to office provided the requirement that "no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district" is met.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Number, terms, and types of school board seats
Number of board members
School districts in West Virginia have five board members.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
Board member term lengths
School board members in West Virginia have four-year regular terms.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6
School board member election staggering
West Virginia Code does not require specific election staggering for school board members. In most districts, however, as close to half of board seats as possible are up for regular election every two years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Representation: elections at-large or by sub-districts
West Virginia Code does not say whether school board members must be elected at-large or by sub-district. It does state that no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district. Each county is divided into at least three and no more than 10 magisterial sub-districts. As of 2023, six school districts in West Virginia elected board members by sub-district and the other districts elected board members at large.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
How does West Virginia compare to other states?
Across the country, there are 13,187 public school districts governed by a total of 83,183 school board members. They are elected directly by voters except for a small handful of exceptions who are appointed.
The analysis below is based on state laws governing school board elections and some researched common practices. In some states, the state law mandates a specific date. In others, the laws allow districts to choose their own election date from a range or a list of allowed dates or through charter provisions.
- 25 states have school board elections that are mostly held off cycle from federal elections. This includes both off-year and off-date elections.
- 10 of those states have school board elections that are mostly or at least commonly held on election dates in November of odd-numbered years.
- 16 of those states have school board elections mostly or at least commonly held on election dates that are not in November.
- 14 states have school board elections that are mostly held on cycle with federal elections in November of even-numbered years.
- 9 states either do not have state laws or overwhelmingly common practices that determine a specific school board election date or have varying school board election dates.
- Hawaii has a single, appointed school board.
See also
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School board election rules: |
School board election coverage: |
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Footnotes
