Warner reports significant turnout for first day of in-person early voting

Charleston, W.Va. – The first day of in-person early voting for the 2024 West Virginia General Election appears to be the highest it’s been in the last several elections according to WV Secretary of State Mac Warner.

Wednesday was the first day that all 55 counties held in-person early voting. Based on preliminary data, Warner estimates that 33,672 voters cast a ballot on Wednesday. Based on reports and preliminary data, turnout for the first day of early voting far surpassed other recent elections.

Warner traveled to several areas of the state on Wednesday. In Harrison County, County Clerk John Spires had an early voting polling location set up at the Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport. More than 1,200 voters cast a ballot in that single location. Monongalia County Clerk Carye Blaney reported over 3,000 early in-person voters cast a ballot in her county, and Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood reported the county’s single-day record in history having had 1,350 ballots cast (highest on record was 1,200 on the last Saturday in 2016).

"Confidence is high in our election systems here in West Virginia," said Secretary Warner. "On Wednesday, our clerks were ready. Our poll workers were ready. And the voters were ready to go to the polls."

"Early in-person voting is convenient, safe, and secure," Warner said.

In-person early voting started in West Virginia in 2002. The law allows for ten days of early voting that began on October 23, will include two Saturdays of voting, and runs through Saturday, November 2. Voting is not offered on Sundays.

Warner wants to remind early in-person voters to bring a valid identification with them to vote. Sample ballots can also be found at GoVoteWV.com​, the State’s single statewide source of election information and resources hosted by the WV Secretary of State.

Warner said that absentee by-mail ballots have been steadily returning to counties. To date, nearly 13,000 absentee ballots have already been returned to county clerks.

Finally, Warner wants to remind the voting public that West Virginia law prohibits the wearing of campaign materials in the polling place, which include clothing and other items that bear the name or campaign slogan for candidates on the ballot. A violation of the electioneering prohibition law is punishable as a misdemeanor.

Remember, there are only two sources for #TrustedInfo2024 when it comes to official election information in West Virginia: the WV Secretary of State and the county clerks.