2020 West Virginia General Election Information
When is Election Day?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-1-31
Where do I vote on Election Day?
You must vote at your polling place on Election Day. To find your polling place, click here: https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace
Source: West Virginia Code §3-1-23
When and where is early voting?
Early voting is open Oct. 21-31 at your county courthouse, annex or designated community voting location during normal business hours & Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here for a full list of early voting locations: https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Documents/Early%20Voting%20Locations.pdf. Contact your County Clerk to confirm early voting hours and location.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-3
Who is eligible to register to vote?
A person must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of West Virginia and of the county where registering to vote, and must be at least eighteen years of age on or before the date of Election Day (November 3). Any person who has been convicted of a felony, treason or bribery in an election, under either state or federal law, is disqualified and is not eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote while serving his or her sentence, including any period of incarceration, probation or parole related thereto. Any person who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction is disqualified and shall not be eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote for as long as that disability continues.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-2-2
How do I register to vote or update my registration?
Online: Visit West Virginia's Online Voter Registration Website: https://ovr.sos.wv.gov/Register/Landing
By mail: You may download and complete the West Virginia Voter Registration Application and mail or hand deliver it to your County Clerk or the Secretary of State's Office.
In person: You may register to vote in person at any of the following locations:
- Your County Clerk's Office
- The Secretary of State's Office
- The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
- Public assistance offices
- Agencies who serve people with disabilities
- Marriage license offices
- Military recruiting agencies
Source: https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/FAQs.aspx
How do I check my voter registration?
Visit https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/AmIRegisteredToVote or contact your County Clerk.
What is the deadline to be registered to vote in the General Election?
The deadline is Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-2-6
Do I have to present identification to vote in person?
Yes, with some exceptions. West Virginia voters must show an approved form of identification that is valid and not expired at the polls. Common forms of accepted identification include a voter registration card, a driver’s license, a bank or debit card, or a Medicare or Social Security card. For a full list of accepted forms of identification, and for exceptions to the requirement, click here: https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/BeReg.aspx
Source: West Virginia Code §3-1-34
How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
Apply online through the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Absentee Application Portal, print an absentee ballot application, or request an absentee ballot application from your County Clerk. Due to concerns of COVID-19, all voters are eligible to vote absentee in the 2020 General Election. You just need to choose “COVID-19/Other� as the reason for requesting an absentee ballot when filling out the application.
Source: https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/AbsenteeVotingInformation.aspx
When is the deadline to return my absentee ballot?
Your absentee ballot application must be received by your County Clerk by October 28, and absentee ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day (November 3) and the ballot must be received by the official designated to supervise and conduct absentee voting no later than the hour at which the board of canvassers convenes to begin the canvass.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-5 (g) (2)
Should I mail my absentee ballot before Election Day to ensure my ballot is received before the Canvass begins?
Yes. The U.S. Postal Service has strongly recommended that absentee voters request their ballot “early enough so that it is received by their election officials at least 15 days before Election Day at a minimum, and preferably long before that time.� The Postal Service recommended that voters mail their ballots “no later than Tuesday, October 27.�
Can I hand deliver my absentee ballot if I am concerned that it will not be received by my County Clerk in the mail before the Canvass begins?
Yes. Absentee ballots may be hand delivered to your County Clerk and must be received by the day preceding the election (November 2).
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-5 (k)
Can I hand deliver someone else’s absentee ballot?
Yes. A person may hand deliver no more than two absentee ballots in any election and any person hand delivering an absentee ballot is required to certify that he or she has not examined or altered the ballot.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-5 (k)
If I applied for but did not return my absentee ballot, can I change my mind and vote in person?
Yes. Any person who has applied for and received an absent voter's ballot but has not voted and returned it may vote in person at the polls on Election Day provided he or she returns the absent voter's ballot to the election commissioners at the polling place. The absentee ballot will be destroyed in front of the voter.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-9
Can I request and return an absentee ballot and also vote at the polls?
No. Voting more than once in the same election; or knowingly voting or attempting to vote more than one ballot for the same office, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and one year in jail. Any election official who determines a person has voted an absent voter's ballot and has also voted at the polls on Election Day must report the fact to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the votes were cast.
Source: West Virginia Code §3-3-8 (e), West Virginia Code §3-9-17
What if I still have questions about voting, voter registration or absentee ballots?
Visit the West Virginia Secretary of State Office’s election information page at www.govotewv.com or contact the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office by calling 304-558-6000, or toll-free at 866-767-8683, or email Elections@wvsos.gov.
