Voting in West Virginia

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in West Virginia:

See Election administration in West Virginia for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in West Virginia, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of West Virginia, and at least 18 years of age.[1]

The registration deadline is 21 days prior to an election. One 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 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.[1]


In-person voting

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing 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.[2]

Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

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. It must also contain the name of the voter.[3]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of May 2023. Click here for the West Virginia Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

  • Valid West Virginia driver’s license or valid West Virginia identification card issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles
  • Valid driver’s license issued by a state other than the State of West Virginia
  • Valid United States passport or passport card
  • 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 the State of West Virginia, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of West Virginia
  • Valid student identification card with a photograph issued by an institution of higher education in West Virginia
  • Valid high school identification card issued by a West Virginia high school
  • Valid military identification card issued by the United States with a photograph of the person desiring to vote
  • Valid concealed carry (pistol/revolver) permit issued by the sheriff of the county with a photograph of the person desiring to vote
  • Valid Medicare card or Social Security card
  • Valid birth certificate
  • Valid voter registration card issued by a county clerk in the State of West Virginia
  • Valid hunting or fishing license issued by the State of West Virginia
  • Valid identification card issued to the voter by the West Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) program
  • Valid identification card issued to the voter by the West Virginia Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program
  • Valid identification card issued to the voter by West Virginia Medicaid
  • Valid bank card or valid debit card
  • Valid utility bill issued within six months of the date of the election
  • Valid bank statement issued within six months of the date of the election
  • Valid health insurance card issued to the voter

Additionally, a registered voter can bring an adult whom he or she has known for at least six months with them to the polling place. The adult can sign an affidavit stating that he or she knows the voter. The voter will then be allowed to vote. A voter can also be identified by a poll worker as long as he or she has known the voter for at least six months.[3]

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card at their county clerk’s office.[4]

Early voting

See also: Early voting

West Virginia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

Voters in West Virginia are eligible to vote absentee in an election for any of the following reasons:[5]

  • “Injury or illness”
  • “Disability or 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. The completed ballot must then be postmarked no later than election day and received by the Friday after a primary election and the Monday after a general election.[6]


Local election officials

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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.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

In West Virginia, people convicted of a felony, treason, or bribery in an election lose their franchise, regained only once they have completed their entire sentence, including incarceration and parole or probation.[7]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[8]


Election agencies

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See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in West Virginia can contact the state and federal agencies listed below.

West Virginia Secretary of State, Elections Division

1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0770
Telephone: 304-558-6000

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Telephone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Noteworthy events

2018

In 2018, West Virginia became the first state to authorize voting by mobile devices in federal and state elections. The program, restricted to overseas military service members, launched on March 23, 2018. The mobile application used in the process, Voatz, requires a user to register by taking a photo of a form of government-issued identification and a video of his or her face and uploading these to the application. Using facial recognition software, the application ensures that the identification and face of the voter match. Upon verification, the voter is authorized to cast his or her anonymous ballot. Secretary of State Mac Warner (R) said, "Whether a Soldier is without mail service in the mountains of Afghanistan, or a Sailor is in a submarine under the polar icecap, they deserve the opportunity to participate easily in our democracy. They should have a voice in choosing who sends them into harm’s way." Joseph Lorenzo Hall, of the Center for Democracy and Technology, criticized the move: "Mobile voting is a horrific idea. It's internet voting on people's horribly secured devices, over our horrible networks, to servers that are very difficult to secure without a physical paper record of the vote."[9][10]

The mobile voting process was first used in the state's May 8, 2018, primary election and November 6, 2018, general election.[9]

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See also

Elections in West Virginia


External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "VElections Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)," accessed May 2, 2023
  2. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Elections Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)," accessed May 2, 2023
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 West Virginia State Legislature, "West Virginia Code, §3-1-34. Voting procedures generally; identification; assistance to voters; voting records; penalties." accessed May 2, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "wvvid" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, "Be Registered and Ready" accessed May 2, 2023
  5. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, “Eligibility for Absentee Voting In West Virginia,” accessed May 2, 2023
  6. ↑ West Virginia Secretary of State, “Absentee Voting Information,” accessed May 2, 2023
  7. ↑ Secretary of State Mac Warner, "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN WEST VIRGINIA ONCE YOU COMPLETE YOUR SENTENCE," accessed May 2, 2023
  8. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 West Virginia Secretary of State, "West Virginia Secretary of State's Office Announces Secure Military Mobile Voting Solution for the Primary Election," March 28, 2018
  10. ↑ CNN, "West Virginia to introduce mobile phone voting for midterm elections," August 6, 2018
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