Charleston, W.Va. (WVDN) – The filing period for West Virginia’s May 12, 2026 Primary Election ended Saturday night at midnight with more than 2,600 candidates filing to seek election to state, county, and municipal positions.
Candidate filing began on January 12th. This past Saturday, January 31st, was the last day to file. The WV Secretary of State’s Office was open until midnight on Saturday at the State Capitol office in Charleston, as well as at the WVSOS regional offices in Clarksburg and Martinsburg.
According to the WV Secretary of State Kris Warner, as of the close of business on Wednesday, February 4th, a total of 2,661 candidates were already officially registered between his office, and the 55 county clerks’ offices. Additional candidates are expected for those who chose to file by U.S. Mail late last week.
“There is a lot of interest in seeking party nominations and election at the upcoming Primary Election,” said Secretary Warner. “It’s encouraging to see so many people who want to become or remain public servants.”
Warner said that as of Wednesday, a total of 2,047 candidates filed for county and municipal positions. An additional 614 candidates filed to run for state offices.
A breakdown of the 2,661 candidate filings to date is as follows:
1,349 Republicans
729 Democrats
582 Non-Partisan
1 Mountain Party
For now, the WV Secretary of State’s Office and the county clerks will be reviewing each and every candidate’s Certificate of Announcement for accuracy.
According to Secretary Warner, his office and county clerks will still accept candidate filings that may have been mailed in using the U.S. Postal Service. However, those mailings must include a postmark on or before January 31st. Certificates of Announcement mailed in without a timely proper postmark cannot be accepted.
In addition, candidates now have until February 17th to voluntarily withdraw. A Certificate of Withdrawal must be filed with the same office where the candidate filed their Certificate of Announcement in order for the candidate’s name to be taken off the ballot. The WV Secretary of State’s Office will be able to certify the final list of candidates for the May 12 Primary Election after February 17th, notwithstanding any legal disqualifications and subsequent appointments.
“I want to congratulate all of the candidates for their willingness to participate in the upcoming election,” Secretary Warner said. “Giving the voters a choice increases interest and participation in our elections.”
Secretary Warner wants to remind all candidates that they are required to file a Personal Financial Disclosure Statement with the WV Ethics Commission within ten (10) days of filing their Certificate of Announcement. More information on that form can be found at www.ethics.wv.gov.
For information on West Virginia elections, voter registration, and absentee voting please visit GoVoteWV.com.
