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West Virginia2026 Midterms Guide
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2026 Midterms State GuideWest Virginia

Hold on to your switchbacks and Mothman sightings.

Polls are closed

Polls are closed in West Virginia, and results aren’t finalized yet.

Ballots are still being counted, close races can take days to call, and no result is official until it’s certified.

Check West Virginia’s resultsFollow our coverage

A prayer for West Virginia

God of wildness and wonder, guard the Mountain State from the unrest that so easily permeates election season. As West Virginians approach this time of great decision, help voters rightly balance the weight of their responsibility, knowing it is a privilege to steward and not a power that can irreparably harm Your good purposes.

Read the whole prayer

Updated

Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you... the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your switchbacks and Mothman sightings, and let’s get into it.

Shadrach the squirrel, dressed up for West Virginia

West Virginia at a glance

West Virginia votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for U.S. Senate, both U.S. House seats and one statewide ballot measure.

Election Day
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
Voter registration
Oct. 13: Voter registration deadline
Early voting
Oct. 21-31: Early voting in person
U.S. Senate
4 candidates
U.S. House
2 seats
Statewide ballot measures
1

What happens next

  1. The counting continues

    Election-night numbers are unofficial. Mail, provisional, and military ballots are still being counted, so close races can take days to call.

    • Nov. 4Deadline for absentee ballots without a postmark.
    • Nov. 9Deadline for absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day.

  2. Officials double-check the count

    Local election officials review the ballots and the tallies (the canvass). A very close race can go to a recount.

  3. West Virginia certifies the results

    Results become official once West Virginia certifies them, usually a few weeks after Election Day.

  4. Winners take office

    The new Congress takes office in early January. Governors and other state officials take office on dates set by state law, most of them in January too.

Check West Virginia’s results

Important dates

  1. May 12Primary This date has passed.
  2. Oct. 13Voter registration deadline This date has passed.
  3. Oct. 21-31Early voting in person This date has passed.
  4. Oct. 28Deadline for absentee ballot applications to be received. This date has passed.
  5. Nov. 2Last day to hand-deliver your absentee ballots to the county clerks. This date has passed.
  6. Nov. 3Election Day. Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. This date has passed.
  7. Nov. 4Deadline for absentee ballots without a postmark This date has passed.
  8. Nov. 9Deadline for absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day This date has passed.

What’s at stake

According to a 2025 Metro News poll, West Virginians believe the economy is getting worse. 29% perceived the economy as improving (down from 30% the previous year). West Virginians were split 50/50 on whether the state is headed in the right direction. Some voters voiced fears on primary day that proposed AI data centers would harm the state's environment. Other voters have concerns about school funding, road conditions, employment, and water systems.

Who’s on your ballot

Tap a race to see the candidates.

Statewide ballot measures

1 to read before you go. Tap one to open it.

  • The amendment changes the West Virginia Constitution to read "Only citizens of the state who are citizens of the United States are entitled to vote." It currently uses the language "The citizens of the state shall be entitled to vote."

    Voting yessupports adding a U.S. citizenship requirement to the constitution's voting language
    Voting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping the current language, “The citizens of the state shall be entitled to vote.” Noncitizens would still be unable to vote under state law.

Also on the ballot

Other races West Virginia voters will decide.

  • State Senate
  • State House
  • Special state legislative
  • Municipal government
Print a ballot cheat sheetEvery race and measure on one page, with room for your notes, to take with you where West Virginia allows it.

Whose job is it?

Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.

Whose job is it to…

1 of 10

Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?

Pass it on

Know someone voting in West Virginia?

Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.

A prayer for West Virginia

God of wildness and wonder, guard the Mountain State from the unrest that so easily permeates election season. As West Virginians approach this time of great decision, help voters rightly balance the weight of their responsibility, knowing it is a privilege to steward and not a power that can irreparably harm Your good purposes.

Grant Mountaineers wisdom and discernment in the ballot box to elect leaders who govern in love, seek the flourishing of their people, and enact policies that promote justice.

West Virginia’s leaders are streams of water in Your hand, O Lord; You direct them as You will. As we wait for Your kingdom in a loop of lesser kings, through seasons of change and uncertainty, teach us not to fear. The fate of our world does not hang in the balance, for our King has come, and He will come again soon.

Amen.

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