How to vote in West Virginia
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- Voter registration deadline (online): 21 days before Election Day
- Voter registration deadline (by mail): Received by 21 days before Election Day
- Voter registration deadline (in person): 21 days before Election Day
- Ballot request deadline (online): 6 days before Election Day
- Ballot request deadline (by mail): Received by 6 days before Election Day
- Ballot request deadline (in person): 6 days before Election Day
- Ballot return deadline (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
- Ballot return deadline (in person): Received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day
West Virginia voter registration guide
- Register to vote (online): 21 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Received by 21 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 21 days before Election Day
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your West Virginia registration using the West Virginia voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
To register in West Virginia you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- live in West Virginia and in the county in which you are registering
- be 18 years old by Election Day. If you are 17, you may vote in a primary if you will turn 18 by the General Election
- if you have been convicted of a felony, election bribery, or treason, you must have completed your sentence, including probation and parole
- not be under conviction, probation, or parole for a felony, treason, or election bribery
- not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction
You can register to vote online if you have a West Virginia driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
- Visit the West Virginia online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 21 days before Election Day.
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Enter your WV driver’s license number. If you do not have a driver’s license number, enter the last four numbers of your social security number. If you do not have either of these numbers, write NONE on the form.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: You should register with a party if you want to take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention. It is up to the party to decide if it will let independents vote in their primaries.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be received by 21 days before Election Day.
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your West Virginia driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring ONE photo ID that shows your name, and ONE document that shows your name and West Virginia address. Acceptable documents include a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
Voting rights are restored upon completion of prison, parole, and probation.
- You cannot vote while incarcerated.
- You cannot vote while on parole.
- You cannot vote while on probation.
- You can vote upon completion of your sentence.
- Financial obligations:
- parole fees
- probation fees
- Please visit Restore Your Vote for additional information.
West Virginia absentee and mail ballot guide
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): 6 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (by mail): Received by 6 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 6 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day
You may vote using an absentee ballot in West Virginia if:
- you have an illness, injury, disability, or another medical issue that makes it hard to vote in person
- you are elderly
- you have to work during polling hours
- you will be away from home on Election Day and during the early voting period
- you are a student attending school outside of your county
- you are currently incarcerated or under home detention but have not been convicted of any felony, treason, or election bribery
West Virginia does not allow you to request your ballot online.
- Download the West Virginia absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- Your application must be received by 6 days before Election Day.
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 6 days before Election Day.
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
- Online application: you must provide your West Virginia driver's license number, state ID number, or the last 4 digits of your social security number.
- Paper application: the signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
Your voted ballot must be signed by one witness who is at least 18 years old. Additionally, if you are a first time voter you must send a copy of a valid photo ID that shows your name and address. If you do not have a valid ID, you can send a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or other official government document that contains your name and address.
Track your ballot here: West Virginia absentee ballot tracker
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if you forget to sign it or if the signature does not match the one that the state has on file for you.
- The ballot curing deadline varies by county. Please contact your Local Election Office to find out the deadline in your county.
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot Rules
You can apply for an emergency absentee ballot within 7 days of the election if any of the following are true:
- you are unable to vote in person because of illness, physical disability, immobility due to advanced age, or another medical condition
- you are hospitalized
- you are a resident of a nursing home
Dates & Deadlines
- Emergency ballot request ends NOON Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is Election Day
Contact your local election office
West Virginia early voting guide
- Early voting starts: 13 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day
You must show ID at the polls. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a non-expired ID issued by any state or the Federal Government, or a student ID issued by any accredited college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can a utility bill, bank statement, paystub, Social Security card, voter registration card, birth certificate, Medicare or Medicaid card, SNAP or TANF card, bank or debit card, health insurance card, or any government document that shows your name and address. However, if you are a first time voter you can only show a non-expired photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other official government document that shows your name and address. If you can not show a valid ID you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
West Virginia voter ID guide
You must show ID at the polls. Acceptable forms of photo ID include a non-expired ID issued by any state or the Federal Government, or a student ID issued by any accredited college or university. If you don't have a photo ID, you can a utility bill, bank statement, paystub, Social Security card, voter registration card, birth certificate, Medicare or Medicaid card, SNAP or TANF card, bank or debit card, health insurance card, or any government document that shows your name and address. However, if you are a first time voter you can only show a non-expired photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other official government document that shows your name and address. If you can not show a valid ID you can still vote using a provisional ballot.
- Online application: you must provide your West Virginia driver's license number, state ID number, or the last 4 digits of your social security number.
- Paper application: the signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.
Your voted ballot must be signed by one witness who is at least 18 years old. Additionally, if you are a first time voter you must send a copy of a valid photo ID that shows your name and address. If you do not have a valid ID, you can send a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or other official government document that contains your name and address.
You can register to vote online if you have a West Virginia driver license, driver permit, or nondriver photo ID card.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for West Virginia elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Secretary of State Building 1, Suite 157‐K 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East Charleston, WV 25305‐0770