CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Early voting numbers jumped significantly for an off year election. Over the weekend a large number of voters turned out statewide to cast ballots in the states 55 counties. Going into the final weekend of early voting, county clerks had indicated low turnout and a lack of interest through the first eight days. But Secretary of Sate Kris Warner said by the time voting concluded Saturday night, the turnout had bested the last off-year primary’s early voting by eight percent.
“Unofficial numbers show that we had more than an 8-percent increase in early voters over 2022,” Warner said during an appearance on Metronews Talkline.
A total of 67,356 votes were cast early during the period from April 29 through May 9. It equates to about a 17 percent turnout.
“That tells me that West Virginia voters have confidence in our election process,” said WV Secretary of State Kris Warner. “Even with the high volume of campaign materials we saw this cycle, voters still want to participate in electing state, county, and local leaders.”
Warner added, two key changes many feared would be a hindrance didn’t seem to have any impact on the voting.
“People were wondering if Photo ID was going to suppress the vote and that’s not the case at all. Republicans closing the primary doesn’t appear to have affected the turnout in a negative say,” he added.
Polls will open on Tuesday’s election say at 6:30 a.m. and stay open until 7:30 p.m. election night.