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West Virginia elections, 2023
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Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Our goal is to inform people about politics by providing accurate and objective information about politics at all levels of government. We are firmly committed to neutrality in our content.
This page provides information on the 2023 elections in West Virginia, including the offices on the ballot covered by Ballotpedia, election dates, and frequently asked questions.
Election dates
Statewide election dates in West Virginia are listed below. For more dates, please see the elections calendar.
Statewide election dates
There were no statewide elections in West Virginia this year. See the Ballotpedia calendar page for more election dates.
Offices on the ballot
| West Virginia elections, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office | Elections? | More information |
| U.S. Senate | — | — |
| U.S. House | — | — |
| Congress special election | — | — |
| Governor | — | — |
| Other state executive | — | — |
| State Senate | — | — |
| State House | — | — |
| Special state legislative | — | — |
| State Supreme Court | — | — |
| Intermediate appellate courts | — | — |
| School boards | — | — |
| Municipal government | — | — |
| Recalls | — | — |
| Ballot measures | — | — |
| Local ballot measures | — | — |
Legend: ✓ election(s) / — no elections
Subject to Ballotpedia's scope
Noteworthy elections
So far, Ballotpedia has not highlighted any elections in this state. Have a suggestion of one we should cover in more detail? Click here and let us know.
Frequently asked questions
When are the polls open?
6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.[1]
See State Poll Opening and Closing Times (2023) for more information
Where can I find election results?
Election results are posted on Ballotpedia's election overview pages, as well as the relevant candidate pages. You can find links to the current election overview pages in the "Offices on the ballot" section of this page.
How do primaries work in West Virginia?
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.[2][3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
How do I register to vote?
- 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.[4]
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.[4]
Is there an early voting period?
- See also: 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.
Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- See also: Absentee/mail-in 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:[5]
- “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.[6]
What are the voter ID laws in West Virginia?
See Voter identification laws by state.
How do I file to run for office?
See Ballot access requirements for political candidates in West Virginia for information on how to run for state or federal office.
What does Ballotpedia cover?
Ballotpedia's coverage extends to all elections on the federal level, all gubernatorial, state legislative, statewide ballot measure, and statewide judicial elections, as well as many other types of state executive offices. Ballotpedia also covers all elections in the U.S. territories, but not elections in other countries.
Local election coverage includes comprehensive ballot coverage for municipal and judicial elections in the top 100 cities by population and races for the large counties that overlap them. In the state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities, it includes coverage of mayoral, city council, and district attorney elections. It also includes school board elections in the top 200 largest school districts by enrollment, all California local ballot measures, and notable local ballot measures from across the nation.
Please note that Ballotpedia's election coverage does not encompass all local offices. Election information is not published in a timely manner for many local offices, which makes it infeasible to gather the necessary data given our limited resources. However, Ballotpedia's coverage scope for local elections continues to grow, and you can use Ballotpedia's sample ballot tool to see what local elections we are covering in your area.
How do I contact Ballotpedia with a question?
Email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
This section lists major events in the post-2020 census redistricting cycle in reverse chronological order. Major events include the release of apportionment data, the release of census population data, the introduction of formal map proposals, the enactment of new maps, and noteworthy court challenges. Click the dates below for additional information.
- October 22, 2021: West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) signed congressional, Senate, and House district maps into law.
- October 19, 2021: The West Virginia Senate passed a map of its own districts in a 31-2 vote.
- October 14, 2021: Sen. Charles S. Trump IV's congressional district map proposal was approved by the House and was sent to Gov. Jim Justice (R).
- October 13, 2021: The Senate passed Sen. Trump's congressional district map.
- October 11, 2021: The Senate Redistricting Committee voted to recommend a proposed congressional and senate map to the full Senate.
- October 7, 2021: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice (R) called for a special session starting October 11 for the legislature to finish the redistricting process and approve legislative and congressional district maps.
- October 5, 2021: The Senate Redistricting Committee released five map proposals for West Virginia's State Senate districts.
- September 30, 2021: The House and Senate Redistricting Committees released a total of 18 congressional district map proposals.
- September 21, 2021: The West Virginia Senate Redistricting Committee began the redistricting process by holding an organizational meeting in which they approved rules for drawing district maps. The House committee held its own organizational meeting on September 30, 2021.
- September 16, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 census in an easier-to-use format to state redistricting authorities and the public.
- August 12, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered redistricting data to states in a legacy format.
- June 11, 2021: West Virginia lawmakers named the committees overseeing the redistricting process.
- April 26, 2021: The U.S. Census Bureau delivered apportionment counts.
Footnotes
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Elections Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): When and where do I vote?", accessed December 2, 2022
- ↑ West Virginia State Legislature, "WV Code § 3-4A-20," accessed June 30, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed June 30, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Elections Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)," accessed June 30, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, “Eligibility for Absentee Voting In West Virginia,” accessed June 30, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, “Absentee Voting Information,” accessed June 30, 2025
