West Virginia State Senate elections, 2026: Difference between revisions
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← 2024
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| 2026 West Virginia Senate Election |
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| Election info |
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Seats up: 17 |
| Election results by year |
| Learn more |
| Other state legislative elections |
Elections for the West Virginia State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026. The primary is May 12, 2026. The filing deadline was January 31, 2026.
The West Virginia State Senate is one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2026. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Party control
| As of February 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Members | |
| Democratic | 2 | |
| Republican | 32 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 34 | |
Candidates
Primary
West Virginia State Senate primary 2026 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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| District 3 |
Mike Azinger (i) Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 4 |
Eric Tarr (i) Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
Mark R. Maynard (i) |
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| District 7 |
Zack Maynard (i) |
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| District 8 |
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| District 9 |
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| District 10 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
Mike Oliverio (i) |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate ConnectionGeneral election
West Virginia State Senate general election 2026 |
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| Office | Democratic |
Republican |
Other |
| District 1 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 2 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 3 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 4 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 5 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 6 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 7 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 8 |
Primary results pending |
Primary results pending |
Chase Linko-Looper (Mountain Party) |
| District 9 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 10 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 11 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 12 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 13 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 14 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 15 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 16 | Primary results pending | ||
| District 17 | Primary results pending | ||
Voting information
- See also: Voting in West Virginia
Competitiveness
This section will be updated with information about the competitiveness of state legislative elections in West Virginia. For more information about Ballotpedia's Competitiveness Analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the West Virginia Senate from 2010 to 2026.[1] It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.
| Open Seats in West Virginia State Senate elections: 2010 - 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2026 | 17 | TBD | TBD |
| 2024 | 17 | 3 (18 percent) | 14 (82 percent) |
| 2022 | 17 | 4 (24 percent) | 17 (76 percent) |
| 2020 | 17 | 4 (24 percent) | 13 (76 percent) |
| 2018 | 17 | 0 (0 percent) | 17 (100 percent) |
| 2016 | 18 | 4 (22 percent) | 14 (78 percent) |
| 2014 | 17 | 2 (12 percent) | 15 (88 percent) |
| 2012 | 17 | 3 (18 percent) | 14 (82 percent) |
| 2010 | 17 | 3 (18 percent) | 14 (82 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Chapter 3, Article 5 of the West Virginia Code
Political party candidates
Before raising money for a campaign, a candidate must file a pre-candidacy registration form. The form must identify a campaign treasurer, who will be responsible for the campaign's financial transactions. A candidate must file a certificate of announcement declaring his or her candidacy with the West Virginia Secretary of State. The candidate must pay a filing fee, which is calculated as a percentage of the salary of the office sought. The candidate must also file a financial disclosure statement with the West Virginia Ethics Commission within 10 days of filing the certificate of announcement.[2][3][4]
Independent candidates
An independent candidate must gain authorization to collect petition signatures by obtaining an official credentials form from the county clerk in each county in which the candidate wishes to collect signatures. This form must be presented to each voter canvassed or solicited.[2][5]
The candidate must obtain a candidate nomination petition at the time of gaining authorization. The candidate must obtain signatures equaling at least 1 percent of the entire vote cast at the last preceding general election for the office being sought (or at least 25 signatures).[2][6][7]
The candidate must file the certificate of announcement and nominating petition with the appropriate office. An independent candidate must also pay a filing fee (the same as that paid by political party candidates).[2][8]
Write-in candidates
A write-in candidate must file a certificate of announcement with the West Virginia Secretary of State. Write-in candidates are not listed on the ballot, but a list of official write-in candidates is posted at each polling place during early voting and on Election Day.[2]
A write-in candidate is not required to pay a filing fee or collect signatures.[2]
Qualifications
Section 13 of Article 6 of the West Virginia Constitution states, "No person holding any other lucrative office or employment under this state, the United States, or any foreign government; no member of Congress; and no person who is sheriff, constable, or clerk of any court of record, shall be eligible to a seat in the Legislature."
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[9] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $23,000/year | $75/day for members who commute daily. $175/day for members who do not commute daily. |
When sworn in
West Virginia legislators assume office on the first day of December following their election.[10]
West Virginia political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
West Virginia Party Control: 1992-2026
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas • Nine years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| 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 | 25 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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[11] | R | R | 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 | 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 | R | R |
Presidential politics in West Virginia
2024
- See also: Presidential election, 2024
Presidential election in West Virginia, 2024
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
 
| Donald Trump/J.D. Vance (R) |
70.0
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533,556 | 4 |
 
| Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz (D) |
28.1
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214,309 | 0 | |
 
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr./Nicole Shanahan (Independent) |
1.2
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8,947 | 0 | |
 
| Chase Oliver/Mike ter Maat (L) |
0.4
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3,047 | 0 | |
 
| Jill Stein/Butch Ware (Mountain Party of West Virginia) |
0.3
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2,531 | 0 | |
 
| Claudia De La Cruz/Karina Garcia (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
73 | 0 | |
 
| Peter Sonski/Lauren Onak (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
63 | 0 | |
 
| Cornel West/Melina Abdullah (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
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39 | 0 | |
 | Shiva Ayyadurai (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
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10 | 0 | |
 | Angela Dwyer (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
3 | 0 | |
 
| Douglas Bell/Sarah Bell (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
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2 | 0 | |
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| Rick Mattox (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
2 | 0 | |
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| Doug Jenkins (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
1 | 0 | |
 | Future Madam Potus (no running mate) (Independent) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
1 | 0 | |
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Total votes: 762,584 |
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in West Virginia, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
68.6
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545,382 | 5 |
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
29.7
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235,984 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
1.3
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10,687 | 0 | |
 
| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (Mountain Party of West Virginia) |
0.3
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2,599 | 0 | |
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Total votes: 794,652 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, West Virginia, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 26.4% | 188,794 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
68.5% | 489,371 | 5 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 3.2% | 23,004 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 1.1% | 8,075 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.5% | 3,807 | 0 | |
| - | Other/Write-in | 0.2% | 1,372 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 714,423 | 5 | |||
| Election results via: Federal Election Commission | |||||
West Virginia presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 15 Democratic wins
- 17 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 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | R |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
West Virginia enacted district maps for the Senate and House of Delegates on October 22, 2021.[12] On September 30, 2021, the House Redistricting Committees released a single-member district map proposal for the West Virginia House of Delegates.[13] The proposal passed the House on October 13, 2021, in a 79-20 vote and passed the Senate on October 18, 2021, in a 28-5 vote.[14] On October 5, 2021, the Senate Redistricting Committee released five map proposals for West Virginia's State Senate districts.[15] On October 11, 2021, the Senate Redistricting Committee voted to recommend Sen. Charles S. Trump IV's (R) 8th proposed senate map to the full Senate.[16] The Senate approved a map that combined aspects of previous proposals in a 31-2 vote on October 19, 2021. The map, named after Sens. Trump, Tom Takubo (R), Eric Tarr (R) Patricia Rucker (R), and Robert Karnes (R) was approved by the House in a 72-19 vote. Both the House and Senate maps were signed into law by Gov. Jim Justice (R) on October 20, 2021.[17] These maps took effect for West Virginia's 2022 legislative elections.
See also
| West Virginia | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 West Virginia Secretary of State, "Running for Office in West Virginia," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-8-5(e)," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-5-8," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-5-23," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-5-23," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-5-24," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Code, "Chapter 3-5-8," accessed April 28, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ West Virginia Constitution, "Article IV, Section 7," accessed February 9, 2021
- ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.
- ↑ West Virginia Legislature, "Actions by the Governor," accessed October 25, 2021
- ↑ WSAZ, "First West Virginia redistricting maps released," September 30, 2021
- ↑ West Virginia Legislature, "Actions by the Governor," accessed October 25, 2021
- ↑ West Virginia Legislature, "Senate Select Committee on Redistricting," accessed October 7, 2021
- ↑ WV News, "(West Virginia) Senate Redistricting Committee selects proposed maps," October 11, 2021
- ↑ Metro News, "After days of trying, Senate overwhelmingly passes a map of its own districts," October 19, 2021
