W.Va. Voters Cast Ballots In ‘Super Tuesday’ Elections

Dozens of cities and towns across the state – from Moorefield to Marmet and Bath to Bridgeport – held municipal elections Tuesday. There are so many elections taking place all over West Virginia that elections officials call it Super Tuesday. 

Most of the 77 elections are contested – meaning there’s more than one candidate for mayor, city council or other positions.

Secretary of State Kris Warner visited seven of the voting precincts, and had his staff visiting other locations to check for proper signage and be sure other rules were being followed. 

“What we’re doing is more of a compliance visit. Just to make sure that handicapped parking spaces are marked, that there’s no electioneering going on within 100 feet of the polling place. But there are a number of things to make sure that election runs really smoothly,” Warner said. “We’re seeing all the things on the door of the voting location, the sample ballot, what the voters rights are, if they’re interested in voting a provisional ballot, because they’re not close to their correct precinct, there has to be information on signage at the voting location. So those are the types of things that we’re checking for.”. 

Although voters in this election don’t have to have a photo ID, that will change next year.

“People can still go to the polls, and if they’re known by the precinct worker, they don’t have to show identification. And if they’re not known, there are 17 different forms of identification that can be used in the municipal election, including bank statements and utility bills that clearly show your address and location where you reside,” Warner said. 

“But in future elections, you’ll either have to have a passport, a military ID or a West Virginia driver’s license. Any government-issued identification with your photo will be required in the 2026 election,” he said.

Another change coming to future elections: all municipal elections by 2032 will be folded into general elections. It’s a cost-saving measure for municipalities that will likely boost voter turnout for smaller races. 

County clerks in each of the Super Tuesday voting precincts will be compiling results, which will become official once they’ve been audited.