Absentee Ballots Sent As General Election Begins

Sept. 20 marks the start of West Virginia’s Nov. 5 general election. County clerks have begun mailing absentee ballots throughout the state.

Donald Kersey, chief of staff to the Secretary of State, said common reasons for absentee voting include traveling outside of your county on election day, physical disability, or temporarily residing outside of the county. A full list is on govotewv.com. 

Kersey described the website – which also provides a way to request an absentee ballot, check your registration and register to vote – as the “dashboard for all things election information in West Virginia.”

If voters have issues with registration, their county clerk, or receiving or submitting their absentee ballot, Kersey directed them to call the secretary of state’s office at (304) 558-6000.

Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Oct. 30 and received, at the latest, by the canvassing board six days after the election.

“There’s a lot of volume during the election period, so the timing of a ballot getting back is critical,” Kersey said.

Early voting opens locally on Oct. 23 and ends Nov. 2. You can vote during business hours and two Saturdays. The deadline to register to vote in any form is Oct. 15.