West Virginia state legislative Democratic primaries, 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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2018 West Virginia State Legislature elections
General	November 6, 2018
Primary	May 8, 2018

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The Democratic primary elections for the seats in the West Virginia State Senate and the West Virginia House of Delegates were on May 8, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in West Virginia, click here.

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was January 27, 2018. In the state Senate, 17 of 34 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 100 seats were up for election.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of December 2017, West Virginia was one of 26 Republican trifectas. A state government trifecta is a term used to describe a single-party government where one political party holds the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the state legislature. To find out more about state government trifectas, click here.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring state House incumbents

One Democratic state House incumbent did not seek re-election in 2018:

• Justin J. Marcum (District 20)

State House incumbents defeated in the primary

One Democratic state House incumbent was defeated in the primary election:

• Phil Isner (District 43)

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and West Virginia state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

There were 20 open seats in 2018, which was lower than the 25 open seats in 2016 and higher than the 11 open seats in 2014. The 22 contested Democratic primaries was down from 30 in 2016 and up from 19 in 2014. The 32 contested Republican primaries was the same number in 2016 and higher than the 24 in 2014. The 292 candidates running was down from 313 in 2016 and up from 283 in 2014.

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the West Virginia House of Representatives and the West Virginia State Senate as of July 2018:

West Virginia House of Representatives

Party		As of July 2018
	Democratic Party	36
	Republican Party	63
	Vacancies	1
Total		100

West Virginia State Senate

Party		As of July 2018
	Democratic Party	12
	Republican Party	22
	Vacancies	0
Total		34

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

• West Virginia state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
• West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2018
• West Virginia State Senate elections, 2018
• West Virginia State Legislature
• West Virginia elections, 2018