Charleston, W.Va. – WV Secretary of State Mac Warner reports that West Virginia’s November 5, 2024 General Election is now complete with all 55 counties reporting their official results.
The overall turnout rate among active voters exceeded 66%. The voter turnout rate for all registered voters, including the more than 91,000 voters in “inactive” status, was over 63%, which is the second highest WV participation rate since the 1960 general.
“All West Virginians should take pride in our state elections,” Warner said. “From candidates to parties, county clerks, and election officials, West Virginia is firing on all cylinders,” Warner exclaimed.
“Voter confidence is at an all-time high, evidenced by historic participation by candidates and voters alike,” said Warner. “More than 1,700 individuals from five parties offered themselves as candidates in the state’s Primary Election held in May, and 610 of those ran in the November General Election.”
“A huge indicator of voter confidence in the election process is the number of people who participate as voters and candidates in an election,” said Secretary Warner. “West Virginians know our elections are safe and secure. Candidates know that they can get a fair opportunity to seek public office which, in turn, offers voters more choices on the ballot.”
There were 1,691 precincts statewide for the General Election on November 5, and it took more than 8,400 poll workers to conduct the General Election. “I thank all the county clerks, political party officials, and poll workers who ran one of the best, if not the best, election in the country,” Warner declared. “Election night reporting was fast and accurate, with almost all races being called by 10 p.m. on election night.”
In the General Election, voters were given the opportunity to vote for federal offices including President of the United States, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. In addition, voters were given the opportunity to vote for state constitutional officers, members of the legislature, county officials, and — in some cases — local candidates and referendums. There was also a runoff election for Circuit Judge in Raleigh County. In all, a total of 1,689 different ballots were prepared and used in West Virginia’s General Election.
Based on voter registration totals reported by County Clerks, a total of 1,209,977 West Virginians were registered and eligible to vote in the November General Election. With the certification of all 55 counties, a total number of 770,587 voters cast a ballot coming to a 63.69% overall voter participation rate. Statistics for recent General Elections are:
- 2024 General Election – 63.69%
- 2020 General Election – 63.25%
- 2016 General Election – 57.4%
- 2012 General Election – 55%
- 2008 General Election – 57.9%
Grant County led the state with 73.38% voter participation. Grant was followed by Preston (72.46%), Wirt (71.30%), Tucker (71.14%), and Pocahontas (69.47%) to round out the top five of all 55 counties. To see each county’s turnout rate, CLICK HERE.
Just over 41% of the ballots cast (310,878) were from voters who voted early and in person. Secretary Warner’s Elections Division reported the following preliminary breakdown of ballots cast by method in the November 2024 General Election based on 754,130 voter participation records that have been added to the voter registration system:
- Number of Registered Voters Who Voted in Person on Election Day: 418,850
- Percentage of Overall Voter Turnout Who Participated by Voting in Person on Election Day: 55.54%
- Number of Registered Voters Who Voted Early in Person = 310,878
- Percentage of Overall Voter Turnout Who Participated by Voting Early in Person = 41.22%
- Number of Registered Voters Who Requested an Absentee Ballot = 26,582
- Number of Registered Voters Who Voted by Absentee Ballot = 24,402
- Percentage of Overall Voter Turnout Who Participated by Absentee Ballot = 3.24%
With its secure electronic ballot delivery and return system and extended absentee voting opportunities, West Virginia is the national leader in offering registered voters accessible options to cast a ballot. Of the 24,402 absentee voters, 1,375 were Uniformed and Overseas voters. 1,250 Uniformed and Overseas voters and 303 eligible voters with disabilities cast a ballot using West Virginia’s electronic ballot system.
A breakdown of party registration for all registered voters who were eligible to participate in the November General Election is as follows:
NOTE 1: Information on registered voters eligible to vote in the 2024 General Election is based off registration data from Election Day, November 5, 2024 found here West Virginia Voter Registration Totals.
- Republican – 499,202
- Democrat – 354,417
- Libertarian – 10,901
- Mountain – 2,648
- Constitution – 105
- No Party Affiliation – 302,453
- Other – 40,689
NOTE 2: In order for a political party to receive official recognition and an automatic listing on the ballot in future elections, that party’s gubernatorial candidate must garner at least 1% of the total votes cast in the preceding election. In the November 2024 General Election, S. Marshall Wilson was the gubernatorial candidate for the Constitution Party, who received 16,828 (2.27%) of the total votes cast for Governor. Therefore, for the next four years, the Constitution Party will join the Democratic, Libertarian, Mountain, and Republican parties as recognized parties in West Virginia.
“West Virginia’s 2024 General Election is one for the record books,” said Secretary Warner. “Our clerks, our poll workers, the candidates and the voters themselves all had key roles in the election and the election process. Confidence in West Virginia’s elections is at an all-time high and will continue to grow as we work together to keep free, fair, honest, and transparent elections.”
For more information on the November General Election including a county-by-county breakdown, CLICK HERE.
