West Virginia voters are heading to county seats and civic centers at a clip roughly 30 percent higher than the 2022 midterm election, signaling an intense wave of early participation across the Mountain State. With the close of business on Wednesday, October 28th, total ballots cast reached 115,855, according to data released by WV Secretary of State Kris Warner.
That initial tally accounts for roughly 9.6 percent of West Virginia’s 1,210,297 registered voters. By comparison, just 84,504 votes were recorded during the opening week of early voting in 2022.
The state’s election administration reports that the current total breaks down into 109,902 in-person early votes, alongside 9,584 absentee ballots requested and 5,953 absentee ballots already returned. All 55 counties currently operate at least one early voting polling place.
Logistics and the New Photo ID Mandate
For voters casting ballots this cycle, the rules of the road have shifted. This is the first statewide general election in West Virginia requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls, though limited exceptions apply. Prior to the passage of House Bill 3016 (2025), residents could present various forms of both photo and non-photo identification. Now, credentials must include a photograph unless an exemption is met.
Secretary Warner pointed to the statewide accessibility of polling stations as a driving factor for the steady lines. “All 55 counties have at least one early voting polling location making it convenient for voters to cast ballots on their schedule,” Warner noted in data distributed through GoVoteWV.com.
Voters can still review precinct-specific sample ballots covering all 1,677 precincts online or through their respective county clerk’s offices before heading out.
What Comes Next at the Polls
Early in-person voting runs through Saturday at 5:00 p.m. For those skipping the early window, traditional polling places will open on Election Day, November 3rd, operating from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
