City elections in Charleston, West Virginia (2026)
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| 2026 Charleston elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: January 31, 2026 & August 3, 2026 |
| Primary election: May 12, 2026 General election: November 3, 2026 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor and city council |
| Total seats up: (click here for mayoral elections) |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2026 |
The city of Charleston, West Virginia, is holding general elections for mayor and city council on November 3, 2026. A primary is scheduled for May 12, 2026. The filing deadline for the primary is January 31, 2026. The filing deadline for the general election is August 3, 2026.
Click here to learn more about the city's mayoral election.
Ballotpedia comprehensively covers the 100 largest cities in the United States by population. Our coverage also includes mayors, city councils, and district attorneys in the 32 state capitals that are not already part of our largest cities coverage. Please note that there may be more offices on the ballot in this capital city than what is listed on this page.
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About the city
- See also: Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia. As of 2020, its population was 48,864.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Charleston utilizes a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive. The mayor, however, appoints a city manager for the administration of all city affairs.[1][2]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Charleston, West Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | West Virginia | |
| Population | 48,864 | 1,793,716 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 31 | 24,041 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 78.8% | 92.5% |
| Black/African American | 14.3% | 3.6% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 0.8% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% |
| Other (single race) | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Multiple | 4% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 1% | 1.6% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 91.9% | 87.6% |
| College graduation rate | 41.6% | 21.3% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $49,769 | $48,037 |
| Persons below poverty level | 19.8% | 17.1% |
| 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 2015-2020). | ||
| **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. | ||
See also
| Charleston, West Virginia | West Virginia | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
