Early Voting – The Solution to West Virginia’s Poor Voter Turnout
Election day is November 5, 2024 all across the country. In case you haven’t heard a president will be elected. But there are also many important West Virginia local and state races to be decided. The problem is that many West Virginians don’t turn out to vote and are left with the political choices other people make.
West Virginia’s voter participation rate is one of the worst in the country. In 2016, the most recent, non-COVID presidential election year, voter turnout in West Virginia ranked 50th in the country. In the November 2022 midterm elections, West Virginia again had very low voter turnout. Statewide, 43% of registered voters cast ballots in the election, meaning more voters stayed home than cast ballots. Only five of our 55 counties had turnout over 50%.
The problem continues. In the May 2024 primary election just over 30% of the state’s registered voters participated. Voter participation varied across the state — from the upper teens to the mid-40% range. The lowest was Berkeley County, where just 17.83% of registered voters, or 16,323 residents, participated.
Why is this happening? West Virginians cite the same reasons as non-voters in other states. However, nonvoters in West Virginia were far more likely than in other states to cite the following reasons for not voting:
- Too busy because of conflicting work, family or school schedule,
- Illness or disability,
- Transportation problems,
- Forgot to vote, or
- Did not know where to vote.
There is a solution for this problem, and it is called early voting! If you wait until election day – November 5 – you have only that last chance to vote. If you have a schedule conflict or transportation problem on that day you might miss your chance to vote.
On the other hand, early voting will be conducted in 2024 from October 23 through November 2. Early voting takes place in one central place – your courthouse or a connected courthouse annex. Some counties have additional early voting locations and you can learn where they are by calling your county clerk or going online to the clerk’s website. Because early voting is spread out over a long period there is no line. Early voting is a short in-and-out process.
Voting is available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Additionally, early in-person voting is available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays during the early voting period. Find your early voting location here»
If you are motivated to vote in this election – and who wouldn’t be? – there is no reason that a scheduling or transportation problem should prevent you. Early voting is convenient, easy and fast. Let’s bring some new energy to Charleston!
