More than 20,000 West Virginians voted early on the first day they could, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The number is actually higher than that because the tally is for just 49 of the 55 counties that reported figures by the close of Wednesday.
The Secretary of State’s Office reported 20,827 people participating in early voting on Wednesday, with Barbour, Marion, Monongalia, Monroe, Upshur and Wirt counties not yet reporting.
The entire early voting number for the 2020 Primary Election in West Virginia was 42,400.
“Go ahead and vote right now if you’re ready to vote,” Secretary of State Mac Warner said today on “580 Live” on WCHS Radio.
He added, “West Virginia elections are underway, they are safe, your vote will count.
Only about half of registered West Virginia voters have turned out for elections in recent years.
For the 2018 General Election, considered an off year, that was fewer than half — 47.9 percent.
In the 2016 General Election, the most recent year with presidential and gubernatorial races on the ballot, 57.4 percent of registered West Virginians voted.
For the 2012 General Election, the number was 55 percent.
This year, West Virginia got off to a brisk start with reports of long lines at early voting locations around the state. The state was the subject of a Washington Post story headlined, “West Virginia voters bustle to the polls on the first day of in-person early voting.”
County clerks from around the state described lines of voters.
“Busy. It was real busy,” said Wood County Clerk Mark Rhodes on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
Some people told Rhodes they waited 45 minutes; others just 10 minutes or so.
“We had a line all day long,” he said.
Wood County’s total of 2,296 people on the first day of early voting was its second highest ever, he said. The highest total of 2,384 took place on the final day of early voting during the 2016 General Election.
A couple of factors are contributing to the brisk pace, he said. One is mild weather. The other is certainty about which candidates voters favor.
“They already know who they’re going to vote for so they’re just coming in,” Rhodes said.
Wood County Clerk Mark Rhodes joins @HoppyKercheval to talk about early voting. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/vVFwaX934y
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 22, 2020
In Monongalia County, Clerk Carye Blaney described a similar scene.
People showed up very early, she said, but wound up waiting no longer than 15 or 20 minutes in most cases.
“We had a great Day 1 in Monongalia County,” Blaney said, describing more than 2,500 voters on the first day, ranking among the most ever on a single day for the county.
She agreed cooperative weather and certainty about candidates has led to turnout — along with news reports of long lines in other states.
“People do want to come in and cast their vote and hopefully they won’t have to pay as much attention to the things they’re hearing nationally,” Blaney said.
Monongalia County Clerk Carye Blaney talks with @HoppyKercheval about her experience with early voting. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/D68oPdROZo
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) October 22, 2020