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West Virginia Secretary of State election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)

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West Virginia Secretary of State
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: January 27, 2024
Primary: May 14, 2024
General: November 5, 2024
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Mac Warner (R)
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in West Virginia
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2024
Impact of term limits in 2024
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
West Virginia
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A Democratic Party primary took place on May 14, 2024, in West Virginia to determine which candidate would earn the right to run as the party's nominee in the state's secretary of state election on November 5, 2024.

Thornton Cooper advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia Secretary of State.

This page focuses on West Virginia's Democratic Party Secretary of State primary. For more in-depth information on West Virginia's Republican Secretary of State primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for West Virginia Secretary of State

Thornton Cooper advanced from the Democratic primary for West Virginia Secretary of State on May 14, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Thornton Cooper
Thornton Cooper Candidate Connection
 
100.0
 
82,262

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 82,262
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Thornton Cooper

Image of Thornton Cooper

Website

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Which candidate for Secretary of State is the most experienced? Of the candidates for Secretary of State, I have the most experience in state government, having served about 29 years before retiring. For most of that time, I was an attorney and administrator for the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (PSCWV). Before that, I worked for the state Department of Highways and the state Human Rights Commission. A native and resident of South Charleston, West Virginia, I graduated from South Charleston High School, Yale University (B.A., Political Science), and the WVU College of Law (Juris Doctor). I have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren. An environmentalist, I have 24 solar panels on my roof and drive a plug-in hybrid. An active member of the West Virginia State Bar from 1978 to the present, I have argued cases and/or submitted briefs before the PSCWV, several circuit courts, the state Supreme Court of Appeals, West Virginia's two federal district courts, and one federal appeals court. A long-time activist, I have been participating in political campaigns (either as a volunteer or as a candidate) since I was a teenager. I have also actively opposed or supported many proposed state constitutional amendments. I have been a party in a number of election-law court cases involving prior Secretaries of State. From 1981 to the present, I have been developing redistricting plans. Currently, I am the South Charleston's Democratic Party Chairman."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

I want to make it easy for West Virginians to vote in either of 3 ways: (1) If a registered voter wants to vote by mail, he or she should be able to do so without having to give a reason for voting by mail. (2) If a registered voter wants to vote early in person at a designated polling place, he or she should have that choice. (3) If a registered voter wants to vote at his or her local precinct on Election Day, he or she should still have that choice.

We need to protect our election workers from harassment and intimidation.

The West Virginia Secretary of State, in conjunction with other state officials, should make it easy for someone to form a corporation or limited liability company and to start a business.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for West Virginia Secretary of State in 2024.

Voting information

See also: Voting in West Virginia

Election information in West Virginia: May 14, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: April 23, 2024
  • By mail: Postmarked by April 23, 2024
  • Online: April 23, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: May 8, 2024
  • By mail: Received by May 8, 2024
  • Online: May 8, 2024

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: May 13, 2024
  • By mail: Postmarked by May 14, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

N/A

What were the early voting start and end dates?

May 1, 2024 to May 11, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (EST)


Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.


See also: Presidential voting trends in West Virginia and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for West Virginia, 2024
District Incumbent Party PVI
West Virginia's 1st Carol Miller Ends.png Republican R+23
West Virginia's 2nd Alexander Mooney Ends.png Republican R+22


2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, West Virginia[1]
District Joe Biden Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
West Virginia's 1st 28.8% 69.7%
West Virginia's 2nd 30.6% 67.6%


2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:


Following the 2020 presidential election, 100.0% of West Virginians lived in one of the state's 55 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020. Overall, West Virginia was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in West Virginia following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Historical voting trends

West Virginia presidential election results (1900-2020)

  • 15 Democratic wins
  • 16 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
Winning Party R R R D R R R R D D D D D D R D D D R D D R D D D R R R R R R

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from West Virginia

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in West Virginia.

U.S. Senate election results in West Virginia
Race Winner Runner up
2020 70.3%Republican Party 27.0%Democratic Party
2018 49.6%Democratic Party 46.3%Republican Party
2014 62.1%Republican Party 34.5%Democratic Party
2012 60.8%Democratic Party 36.5%Republican Party
2010 53.5%Democratic Party 43.4%Republican Party
Average 59.3 37.5

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of West Virginia

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in West Virginia.

Gubernatorial election results in West Virginia
Race Winner Runner up
2020 63.5%Republican Party 30.2%Democratic Party
2016 49.1%Democratic Party 42.3%Republican Party
2012 50.5%Republican Party 45.7%Democratic Party
2011 49.6%Democratic Party 47.1%Republican Party
2008 69.8%Republican Party 25.7%Democratic Party
Average 56.5 38.2
See also: Party control of West Virginia state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of West Virginia's congressional delegation as of May 2024.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from West Virginia
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 0 0
Republican 2 2 4
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 2 4

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in West Virginia's top three state executive offices as of May 2024.

State executive officials in West Virginia, May 2024
Office Officeholder
Governor Republican Party Jim Justice
Secretary of State Republican Party Mac Warner
Attorney General Republican Party Patrick Morrisey

State legislature

West Virginia State Senate

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 3
     Republican Party 31
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 34

West Virginia House of Delegates

Party As of February 2024
     Democratic Party 11
     Republican Party 89
     Independent 0
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 100

Trifecta control

The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.

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[2] 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

The table below details demographic data in West Virginia and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.

Demographic Data for West Virginia
West Virginia United States
Population 1,793,716 331,449,281
Land area (sq mi) 24,041 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White 91.4% 65.9%
Black/African American 3.4% 12.5%
Asian 0.8% 5.8%
Native American 0.1% 0.8%
Pacific Islander 0% 0.2%
Other (single race) 0.5% 6%
Multiple 3.7% 8.8%
Hispanic/Latino 1.8% 18.7%
Education
High school graduation rate 88.4% 89.1%
College graduation rate 22.7% 34.3%
Income
Median household income $55,217 $75,149
Persons below poverty level 11.9% 8.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

State profile

Demographic data for West Virginia
 West VirginiaU.S.
Total population:1,841,053316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):24,0383,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:93.6%73.6%
Black/African American:3.3%12.6%
Asian:0.7%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:1.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85%86.7%
College graduation rate:19.2%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$41,751$53,889
Persons below poverty level:22.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in West Virginia.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in West Virginia

West Virginia voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


More West Virginia coverage on Ballotpedia

See also

West Virginia State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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West Virginia State Executive Offices
West Virginia State Legislature
West Virginia Courts
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
West Virginia elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
  2. ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.
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