CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — All 55 counties will begin canvassing the 2026 general election Monday, Nov. 9, or as soon after as a quorum of members is present. State law requires canvassing to begin five days after the election, not counting Sunday.
County commissioners serve as the board of canvassers. Each board reviews the election night returns, absentee ballots and provisional ballots cast in all precincts.
According to Secretary of State Kris Warner, canvassing statewide will include a manual audit of the unofficial results. Each county will use teams of opposite parties to hand count every paper ballot from at least 3% of the county’s precincts. This year, the count must also include at least 5% of the total ballots cast in each county.
The audit results are then compared with the electronic results to confirm totals. If a comparison shows a difference of 1% or more, or if the outcome of any race changes, the electronic results are disregarded and the entire county must be counted by hand.
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to the county clerks and more than 8,200 Election Day workers who helped our general election run smoothly,” Warner said.
Preliminary turnout totals show 463,912 ballots were cast statewide in the Nov. 3 election, or 38.33% of West Virginia’s 1,210,385 registered voters. Of those, 162,349 were cast early, and 7,001 absentee ballots have been received. Turnout in the last four midterm general elections was 42.9% in 2022, 47.9% in 2018, 37.8% in 2014 and 44% in 2010.
During canvassing, the board will review provisional ballots and absentee ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 3 to determine whether the law requires them to be counted or rejected. In close races, adding those legal votes to the totals could change an outcome.
After the canvass, candidates may post a bond and demand a recount. The recount period ends when a county certifies its results, which can occur no sooner than 48 hours after the canvass is complete. Once results are certified, the recount period closes and they become official. In multicounty districts, the recount period does not end until the last county in the district certifies.
Candidates who wish to contest the election for fraud, irregularities or other lawful grounds have 10 days after certification to file the contest and give proper notice to opposing candidates. State law sets out all requirements for filing an election contest.
Counties should send certified results to the Secretary of State as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the election, which is Dec. 3.
For more information on elections in West Virginia, visit GoVoteWV.com.
