Warner Releases Report On 2026 Primary Election

Absentee voting is a major topic in the news with the 2026 general election just over the horizon, but it wasn’t much of an issue in West Virginia’s May primary.  

According to a new report published by the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, 98% of the more than 252,000 votes cast in the state’s 2026 primary were cast in person.  

Only 21% of registered voters voted in the primary election, however.  

“Election administration is one of the most important responsibilities of my office, and my team works closely with all 55 county clerks to ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate and that every ballot is secured and counted accurately,” Secretary of State Kris Warner said. “West Virginians deserve elections that are safe, secure, transparent, and fair. This report reflects our commitment to delivering exactly that.”  

Compared to the 2022 primary election, the number of unaffiliated voters was up by nearly 41,000 and Republican registrations were also up by nearly 80,000 while registered Democrats were down more than 57,000.  

Despite those major party changes, Democrats cast 3,588 more votes in 2026 than in 2022 while Republicans cast 27,775 fewer votes in the same period.  

There were only 5,082 absentee ballots requested this year and 79% of them were returned to county clerks.  

On May 1, 2025, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed House Bill 3016, requiring voters to present photo identification to vote. According to the report, neither the Secretary of State’s Office nor its investigators received any complaints related to the implementation or enforcement of the law.