By Stephen Smoot
Win or lose, this will likely be former President Donald Trump’s last time as a candidate for national office. Even with the results for him a foregone conclusion in West Virginia, his presence on the ballot has helped to drive those who wish to vote for him – as well as those motivated to cast their ballot against him.
According to Mac Warner, West Virginia Secretary of State, the first day totals late last month may “be the highest it’s been in the last several elections.” On the first day of early voting statewide, 33,672 voters voted, a number that “far surpassed other recent elections.”
Throughout early voting, the secretary of state’s office reported that 310,412 voted in the early period. By party, this breaks down to 143,549 Republicans, 91,976 Democrats, 60,194 who registered with no party, and 1,876 categorized as “miscellaneous.”
Between 21,000 and 22,000 cast absentee ballots.
According to officials in the Pendleton County Clerk’s office, 1,116 cast ballots in early voting. This represents just under 20 percent of the population of the entire county.
Not percentage of voters, but percentage of all residents of all ages. Officials added that 140 voted by absentee ballot.
By comparison, Pendleton County as of last May had 4,942 registered to vote. In the 2024 primary, 1,720 voters cast ballots.
The secretary of state’s office on Election Day had 18 investigators and other staff monitoring voting across the state. Warner, who worked as part of the effort to bring free and secure elections to Afghanistan during the war, joined the team of monitors. Preparation for potential problems included a Fusion Center staffed with 400 and back ups at the ready from utility companies and the West Virginia National Guard.
Warner also offered both a text and phone hotline for those who wanted to report potential election fraud violations.
