West Virginia’s primary election is May 12, and voters will go to the polls to pick party nominees for federal jobs like U.S. senator and U.S. representative all the way down to state legislative seats and county commissioners.
Plus, there are a number of nonpartisan races on the ballots — positions like school board and many city council seats — that will be decided by this election.
This year, the state’s residents will find a few things have changed as they go to cast their ballots. From who unaffiliated voters can vote for, to the kinds of identification required at the polling places, Mountain State Spotlight has the information you need.
How to register and where to vote
Voters can search for your voter registration information on the secretary of state’s website by entering your name and date of birth. You can also search for your polling place with the same information.
If you aren’t registered yet, the deadline to register to vote in the primary is April 21, 2026. You can only register online if you have a valid West Virginia driver’s license or ID card as well as the last four digits of your Social Security numbers. Otherwise, you can register by mail or in person.
Note that first-time voters may be asked to provide additional identification with their current name and address; these could include a current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck stub.
What will I need when I get there, and what can I take in with me?
New this year: you will be required to show a photo ID when you go to the polls. Last year, lawmakers passed a bill tightening the requirements. While voters used to be able to use a number of documents without photos for voter identification (including hunting and fishing licenses, food stamp cards or bank statements), now you’ll have to produce a document with both your name and image. County clerks and the secretary of state can also issue voter ID cards that meet these requirements.
Here’s a list of acceptable IDs.
Voters may bring sample ballots and voting guides into the booth with them, as long as they don’t show them to other voters or leave them behind, said David Cook, general counsel for the Secretary of State’s office.
State law prohibits voters from bringing into the polling booth “any recording or electronic device in order to record or interfere with the voting process.” That means no selfies in the voting booth.
Cook confirmed there is no prohibition on bringing cell phones into voting booths, as long as voters don’t use them to take photos or videos or to communicate with anyone.
But don’t plan to do all your research on candidates on your phone in the voting booth — technically, voters are not supposed to spend more than five minutes in the booth. Later this month we will have a comprehensive voter guide for every county in the state where you can do your research in advance.
What if you won’t be able to make it to your polling place on election day?
Early in-person voting starts April 29 and goes through May 9. Here’s a list of early voting locations and times.
You can also get a mail-in ballot in West Virginia if you meet certain requirements. Eligibility requires two basic criteria: (1) confinement or not being present in the county during in-person voting, and (2) a permitted reason/excuse, which can include illness, immobility, work hours or travel.
Read more on the secretary of state’s website.
If you plan to vote absentee, you must request an absentee ballot by May 6. It must be hand-delivered to your local county clerk’s office by the day before Primary Election Day (May 11) or postmarked by Primary Election Day (May 12). The county clerk will accept absentee ballots without a postmark delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or an express shipping service until May 13.
Who can I vote for in this primary election?
Because this is a primary election, there are different Republican and Democratic ballots. But for the first time, this year, the Republican ballot is limited to only people who are registered as Republicans as of April 21.
Previously, unaffiliated voters, could choose whether they wanted to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary elections. But last year, the West Virginia Republican Party decided to close its primary, excluding unaffiliated voters.
The Democratic primary is still open, meaning both registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters can request a Democratic primary ballot. And for unaffiliated voters who don’t want to vote in either party’s primary, there will be nonpartisan ballots that contain only those races.
For nonpartisan races like judges and county board of education members, the primary will decide the winner. But for partisan races, the party winners will advance to the November general election.
What if a poll worker challenges my right to vote?
If you run into issues at your polling place and are unable to vote, poll workers are required to offer you a provisional ballot.
If your issues stem from a lack of ID, you can present your identification at your county clerk’s office within five days of the election and your ballot will be counted.
Otherwise, the Board of Canvassers (which consists of your local municipal or county commissions) will review your ballot and determine whether your ballot is eligible to be counted.
You can track your provisional ballot on the Secretary of State’s website.