Early voting begins in West Virginia
Roughly one hundred people per hour cast their ballots in Ohio County during early voting, signaling a potentially historic turnout.
Early voting began in Ohio County, West Virginia, at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Within the first four hours of the day, over four hundred citizens had already cast their ballots.
Ohio County residents can vote early from now until Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline Street, Wheeling, W.Va., 26003. Polls will not be open on Sunday, Oct. 27. West Virginia voters can request a mail ballot until Wednesday, Oct. 30. This will all lead to Tuesday, Nov. 5, when final votes will be cast, or mail ballots postmarked, for this year’s general election.
What’s on my ballot anyways?
Nationwide Offices
As most people know, this year voters will choose the next president of the United States. Former President Donald Trump, Republican, and current Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic, are facing off for a chance to represent the country for the next four years. Third party candidates Chase Oliver, Libertarian, Jill Stein, Green, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Independent, are also listed on the presidential ballot.
While the top of the ticket is important, holding more impact on the day-to-day lives of West Virginians lies after the presidential portion. You can view a sample ballot at the Secretary of State Office’s website, or by visiting Mountain State Spotlight’s voter guide.
Republican Governor Jim Justice will face Democratic former Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott and two-time Libertarian candidate for governor David Moran in the race to replace outgoing Senator Joe Manchin. Justice, first elected in 2016 as a Democrat, has received popular support throughout the state despite ongoing issues in his administration and personal finance. Elliott, who represented Wheeling for eight years, had limited power as mayor in a city dominated by an executive, unelected city manager. Moran is a sheep and alpaca farmer in Preston County.
The race for West Virginia Second Congressional District, which Ohio County is a part of, is wide open as Republican State Treasurer Riley Moore, nephew of Senator Shelley Moore Capito, and Democratic retired Navy commander Steven Wendlen battle for victory.
Statewide Offices and Issues
A constitutional amendment will appear on each voter’s ballot. The purpose of the amendment is the prohibit medically assisted death, often used for terminally ill patients, in the state of West Virginia. The measure also states that, if passed, the amendment would not prohibit capital punishment, which has been illegal in the State of West Virginia since 1965. A vote FOR would allow the amendment to be added to the state constitution. A vote AGAINST would mean the amendment should not be added to the state constitution.
In the race for governor of the State of West Virginia are five candidates; (1) Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, Republican, (2) Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, Democratic, (3) attorney Erika Klie Kolenich, Libertarian, (4) Chase Linko-Looper, Mountain, and (5) former Del. S. Marshall Wilson, Constitution.
Morrisey has served as the state’s attorney general since 2012. Prior to that, Morrisey worked as a career lawyer and lobbyist for pharmaceutical companies, some of whom were sued by the state for their role in the opioid epidemic. Williams has served as the Mayor of Huntington since 2012, a position that holds executive power in the city. Both men are considered top contenders in the race.
In 2020, Kolenich ran as a Libertarian for governor and garnered just 2.9% of the vote. Linko-Looper, the only Mountain Party candidate for statewide office, is a first time candidate. Constitution Party candidate Wilson previously served as a Republican member of the House of Delegates. He ran as an independent for governor in 2020, garnering 1.9% of the vote, and as a member of the Americans Coming Together (ACT) Party for the House of Delegates in 2022.
In the race to become the next Secretary of State, Republican Kris Warner, brother to current Secretary of State Mac Warner, will face Democratic Thornton Cooper. Warner serves as the executive director of the West Virginia Economic Development Authority. Cooper, who ran unopposed in his party’s primary, has run unsuccessful bids for the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
Republican state Senator Mark Hunt and Democratic Mary Ann Roebuck Claytor are vying to become the next State Auditor. Hunt is a former Democratic member of the House of Delegates, serving from 1995 to 2001, 2005 to 2007, and 2012 to 2014. Claytor has over 20 years of experience in the Auditor’s Office and has run, and lost, to become its head in 2016 and 2020.
Republican acting Secretary of Revenue Lary Pack is running unopposed for the state’s Treasurer’s Office. Prior to being appointed acting secretary, Pack was a senior advisor to Gov. Justice and a Republican member of the House of Delegates from 2020 to 2022.
In the race for Agriculture Commissioner, incumbent Republican Kent Leonhardt faces Democratic Deborah Stiles. Leonhardt, the only incumbent statewide office holder defending their seat, has presided over the Department of Agriculture since 2016. Stiles is a small-scale farmer and agriculture policy researcher.
Republican Auditor John “JB” McCuskey is facing Democratic Wheeling attorney Teresa Toriseva to become the next Attorney General of the state. McCuskey has served as the state’s auditor since in 2017. Prior to that, he was a Republican member of the House of Delegates from 2012 to 2016. Toriseva has practiced law in Wheeling for years. In 2022, she garnered just 27% of the vote in a race against Erikka Storch for House of Delegates.
Local Races
Republican State Senator Ryan Weld is running unopposed to represent the state’s first senatorial district. Weld, a Brooke county attorney, has held the seat since 2016.
There exists three House of Delegates districts in Ohio County, while the City of Wheeling is divided into four districts.
The race to represent the Third District of the House of Delegates, comprising the southern part of Brooke County and northern part of Ohio County, will see Republican incumbent Jimmy Willis face Democratic David Cantrell. Willis was first elected to the position in 2022. Cantrell, a union worker with IBEW Local Union 141, is a first time candidate from Wheeling.
The race to represent Fourth District of the House of Delegates, comprising the majority of Ohio County excluding much of Wheeling, will see Republican Bill Flanigan face Democratic Johnny Haught. Flannigan, an attorney, defeated incumbent Del. Diana Winzenreid during the primary. Haught is the owner of Ohio Valley MMA.
In the Fifth District of the House of Delegates, comprising the urban core of Wheeling, will see Republican Thomas Salkovick face incumbent Democratic Del. Shawn Fluharty. Salkovick is a physical education and health teacher at John Marshall High School. Fluharty, who serves as minority whip in the House of Delegates, was first elected to represent Wheeling in 2014.
In the Sixth District of the House of Delegates, comprising the northern and western portions of Marshall County–including parts of the City of Wheeling–will see incumbent Republican Del. Jeffrey Stephens face Democratic Cody Cumpston. Stephens, appointed by Gov. Justice to represent the district in October 2023, narrowly defended his seat in his party’s primary. Cumpston, a union electrician, was appointed by his party to appear on the general ballot.
Republican incumbent Commissioner Donald Nickerson is running unopposed for the Ohio County Commission. Nickerson, an attorney by trade, was first elected in 2018. Prior to that, he served as a municipal court judge in the City of Wheeling for two decades.
Democratic attorney Shawn Turak is running unopposed to become the next Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney. Turak currently serves as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the same office.
The race for Ohio County Sheriff will see Republican Harry (Nelson) Croft, Jr. and Democratic Howard (John) Haglock vying for the position. Croft is the current Chief Deputy of the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office. Haglock worked for the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office for three decades.
Democratic incumbent Tiffany Hoffman is running unopposed for the Ohio County Assessor’s office.
No candidate filed for election for Ohio County Surveyor. Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell tells Wheeling Free Press that current Surveyor Michael Austen, while not on the ballot, has filed a write in campaign.