CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There have already been more than 38,000 ballots cast in the state’s largest county for Tuesday’s general election.
Early voting and COVID-19 pandemic-related mail-in absentee voting has pushed numbers in Kanawha County to record pre-election levels.
“The most we’ve ever had in absentee voters is 1,000 to 2,000 and this year we’ve already sent out 21,000 absentee ballots out and got them back in. I’ve never had an election like this,” Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick told MetroNews Thursday afternoon.
There are no restrictions for absentee voting this year because of the pandemic. More than 81% of Kanawha County absentee ballots have been completed and returned.
Kanawha County has just more than 125,000 registered voters and as of Thursday, when combining mail-in and early voting numbers, 30% of all registered voters had already cast their ballots.
McCormick said the high numbers should help decrease the density of voters at the county’s 169 precincts on election day.
“I just hope it helps the precincts so people don’t have to wait in line,” she said.
In the 2016 General Election, 78,055 Kanawha County voters cast ballots which was a 55% turnout. With two days left in early voting, Kanawha County could near a total of 50,000 votes before the polls open Tuesday.
McCormick said the enthusiasm for early voting hasn’t let up.
“We’ve had lines every morning before we open,” she said.