West Virginians will go to the polls on Nov. 3 to pick the people to fill federal jobs like U.S. senator and U.S. representative all the way down to state legislative seats and county commissioners.
Voting in Wirt County
In Wirt County, like around West Virginia, early voting starts on Oct. 21.
You can vote in-person early from Oct. 21 through Oct. 31. Here’s a list of all of the early voting locations and hours around the state, but to find out more specifics about Wirt County, call the county clerk at (304) 275-4271.
Voting by mail is only available for West Virginians who are unable to vote in person for reasons like illness, incarceration, work schedule and travel. Here’s more information about voting absentee.
New this year: voters will be required to show a photo ID when they go to the polls. County clerks and the secretary of state can also issue voter ID cards that meet these requirements.
On Election Day, Nov. 3, polls in Wirt County will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can find your polling place by entering your information here.
Federal races
U.S. Senate
On the Record: candidate responses
Mountain State Spotlight asked each candidate to rate their level of agreement with four statements. Here are the statements and the responses we received.
Issue 1: I agree with President Donald Trump that FEMA should be eliminated and that the primary responsibility for handling disasters such as flooding and tornadoes should rest with state and local governments.
Issue 2: The federal government should provide incentives to energy and manufacturing companies, including relaxing regulations, to help keep them operating in West Virginia.
Issue 3: As West Virginians face rising costs of living and gas prices, I will prioritize the domestic welfare of my constituents over foreign interventions such as the war in Iran.
Issue 4: I will prioritize the autonomy and privacy of my constituents when voting on bills related to artificial intelligence and data centers.
U.S. House of Representatives
On the Record: candidate responses
Mountain State Spotlight asked each candidate to rate their level of agreement with four statements. Here are the statements and the responses we received.
Issue 1: I agree with President Donald Trump that FEMA should be eliminated and that the primary responsibility for handling disasters such as flooding and tornadoes should rest with state and local governments.
Issue 2: The federal government should provide incentives to energy and manufacturing companies, including relaxing regulations, to help keep them operating in West Virginia.
Issue 3: As West Virginians face rising costs of living and gas prices, I will prioritize the domestic welfare of my constituents over foreign interventions such as the war in Iran.
Issue 4: I will prioritize the autonomy and privacy of my constituents when voting on bills related to artificial intelligence and data centers.
State constitutional amendment
Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment
Every West Virginia ballot will contain the following constitutional amendment:
Summary of Purpose: This amendment provides that in all elections held in West Virginia only citizens of the United States who are citizens of this state are qualified to vote.
Instructions to Voters: To vote in favor of the Amendment submitted, darken the oval next to “FOR”. To vote against the Amendment, darken the oval next to “AGAINST”.
Non-citizens are already blocked from voting in West Virginia elections per state code. If a simple majority of more than 50% of voters approves this amendment, this would add the prohibition to the state constitution.
The resolution that put this measure on the ballot was sponsored by Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, and approved unanimously by both the state Senate and House of Delegates. Similar language is included in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s “Essential Policy Solutions for 2026,” and the amendment is supported by Americans for Citizen Voting, which advocates for similar policies around the country. It’s opposed by the League of Women Voters of West Virginia, which calls it “completely unnecessary.”
West Virginia Legislature
Need to know which West Virginia House or Senate district you live in?
Who you see on your ballot for West Virginia House and Senate depends on where you live. Enter your address in the tool below.
Senate District 3
On the Record: Candidates did not respond to Mountain State Spotlight’s survey.
Senate District 3 — Unexpired
On the Record: Candidates did not respond to Mountain State Spotlight’s survey.
Senate District 8
On the Record
Mountain State Spotlight asked each candidate to rate their level of agreement with five statements. Here are the statements; click the arrow to see the responses we received.
West Virginia should fund infrastructure such as clean drinking water, high-quality roads and bridges, and local public schools before passing additional income tax cuts.
The best way to ensure every West Virginia child receives a quality education is to ensure the Hope Scholarship is fully funded for all students with no eligibility restrictions.
When federal funding is cut for social services like SNAP and Medicaid, the state should step in to ensure eligible West Virginians still have access.
Legislation around data centers, namely 2025’s HB 2014, should be revised to return meaningful oversight and authority over such projects to local communities and governments.
Lawmakers should direct more government economic development resources toward initiatives recommended by the state Chamber of Commerce, like childcare, high-speed internet and workforce training.
House District 14
On the Record: Candidates did not respond to Mountain State Spotlight’s survey.
House District 15
On the Record: Candidates did not respond to Mountain State Spotlight’s survey.
County races
Wirt County levy
School levy
Shall The Board of Education of the County of Wirt (the “Board”) incur debt and issue Bonds, in one or more series, in the par amount of not more than NINE MILLION THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($9,300,000), with maturities on such Bonds to run not more than fifteen and one-half (15.5) years from the date of such Bonds, with interest not exceeding the rate of five and three-quarters percent (5.75%) per annum, payable semi-annually, for the purpose of making the following improvements in the Wirt County School District (estimated costs to include both the Bond proceeds and proceeds of grants, if any, received from the School Building Authority of West Virginia and other sources, including but not limited to Federal, State, local, lease purchase, and/or private funds) to provide adequate, safe and convenient educational facilities for the Wirt County School District (the “School District”), and levy taxes sufficient to pay the interest on and the principal of such Bonds.
PROJECTS:
Project: New Additions, Improvements and Renovations to Wirt County High School
Location: Existing campus of Wirt County High School, Elizabeth, West Virginia
Estimated cost funded by SBA/Other Sources: $18,000,000
Estimated cost funded by bond proceeds: $5,200,000
Develop, acquire, design, construct, equip, demolish, furnish, improve, and pay all fees and expenses in connection with renovations and new additions to Wirt High School, including, without limitation, new academic space, a kitchen, an auxiliary gym and/or supporting areas. The existing classroom building will be demolished, and areas connecting new to the renovated parts of the building will be retained and renovated. The existing annex building and surrounding area will be remodeled and expanded to add support spaces for the football field, including, without limitation, enlarged toilets, a new concession stand, a ticket booth, and/or a visitors’ locker room. The project will meet the School Building Authority of West Virginia standards and guidelines and provide a safe and engaging learning environment for students. The high school will serve students in grades 9 through 12.
Project: Athletic Field Improvements to Wirt County High School
Location: Existing campus of Wirt County High School, Elizabeth, West Virginia
Estimated cost funded by bond proceeds: $3,000,000
Develop, acquire, design, construct, equip, furnish, improve, and pay all fees and expenses in connection with improvements to the Wirt County High School athletic field, including, without limitation, renovated bleachers, a new press box and/or the addition of a practice track.
Project: New Bus Garage
Location: Palestine, WV
Estimated cost funded by bond proceeds: $900,000
Develop, acquire, design, construct, equip, furnish, improve, and pay all fees and expenses in connection with a new bus garage shell building and/or related improvements.
Total Estimated Project Cost (including Costs of Issuance): $27,300,000
Estimated Project Costs Funded by Other Sources, including SBA Grants or Other
Available Funds*: $18,000,000
Project Costs Funded by Bond Proceeds: $9,100,000
Estimated Costs of Issuance: $200,000
TOTAL PAR AMOUNT OF BONDS: $9,300,000
* The Estimated Project Costs Funded by Other Sources may be an amount greater or less than $18,000,000, depending on the amount of any commitment by the School Building Authority of West Virginia or other sources, final designs, plans and specifications of the respective Projects and actual costs of construction of the Projects. The amounts set forth above as “Total Par Amount of Bonds” for the Projects include estimated Costs of Issuance for the Bonds, which may be funded from the proceeds of the Bonds. The Board shall also be authorized to pay such Costs of Issuance from its general funds and/or the proceeds of the Bonds, as the Board deems appropriate at the time such Costs of Issuance are required to be paid.
The issuance of the Bonds (i) is subject to (a) the School Building Authority of West Virginia’s award or commitment of funds to the Board in amounts sufficient, in the Board’s reasonable discretion, to undertake and complete the Projects, and/or (b) the availability of other funds to the Board (including federal, state, local, lease purchase proceeds and/or private funds from any source or any combination thereof), in amounts sufficient, in the Board’s reasonable discretion, to undertake and complete the Projects, and (ii) is further subject to any and all other necessary actions, approvals and consents required by applicable law.
The foregoing estimated Project Cost amounts include the costs of acquiring any necessary lands, sites and rights-of-way and easements, if necessary to complete the Projects, the payment of interest on the Bonds while the Projects are under construction and up to six months thereafter, and any engineering and architectural costs, construction costs, including, but not limited to, construction manager fees and expenses, the cost of using county maintenance personnel, the costs of erecting, improving, equipping and furnishing the Projects, the costs and estimated costs of the issuance of the Bonds, and such other costs, fees, and expenses as may be necessary and/or properly incurred in carrying out the Projects. All Handicapped and E.S.S.I.A. Title I expenditures are subject to written approval by the West Virginia Department of Education.
The estimated Project Costs set forth above are based upon the estimates provided to the Board by its architects, engineers and other professional advisers, and the actual costs of completing any one or more of the Projects may vary due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Board. To the extent the actual cost to complete any one or more of the Projects is greater or less than such estimates, the Board, in its reasonable discretion, can allocate and expend the available funds (including proceeds of the Bonds, School Building Authority of West Virginia grant funds and other funds available to the Board) between the Projects as necessary to carry out the intent of this Order; provided, however, that in any event, the Board shall use its best efforts to complete each of the Projects described above, to the extent sufficient funding is available. If the proceeds of the Bonds and/or amounts allocated for the above-stated purposes are insufficient to complete the Projects, then the Board, in its discretion, shall allocate such shortfall to one or more of the above-stated purposes. In the event the Board shall obtain additional money by grant or otherwise from the State or Federal government, or from any agency of either, or from any other source (including private funds, local funds, lease purchase proceeds, or other funds made available to the Board), for use in the acquisition, construction, renovation, improvement, furnishing, and/or equipping of the Projects, such additional money may be used either in substitution for or in addition to the proceeds of the sale of the Bonds proposed hereby, as may be determined by the Board and the granting body or agency.
If the voters of the School District approve the incurring of said debt and the issuance of said Bonds, the Board will lay annually upon the assessed valuation of all the taxable property within the School District an additional levy sufficient to provide funds for the payment of the annual interest upon the Bonds as such interest accrues semiannually and the principal of the Bonds at maturity, for which purposes a levy upon each $100 valuation, based upon the last assessment of such property for State and County purposes, will be required as follows:
Upon Class I Property approximately 11.09 cents
Upon Class II Property approximately 22.18 cents
Upon Class III Property approximately 44.36 cents
Upon Class IV Property approximately 44.36 cents.
Wirt County Commission
What does a county commission do?
Every West Virginia county has an elected county body that governs it. These officials are elected to six-year terms; their responsibilities include overseeing county tax dollars, supervising the county election process, maintaining the county courthouse and funding county services like libraries, ambulances, fire services and trash pick up. Candidates have to be at least 18 years old, and live in the magisterial district they’re vying to represent.
These are all of the races that are listed on the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website, but there may be other local races on your ballot! For more information about Wirt County races call the county clerk at (304) 275-4271.
If you see an error in our voter guide, or want to provide more information about one of the candidates, please email us at contact@mountainstatespotlight.org.