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West Virginia
West Virginia
Voter
Information
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West Virginia voter registration guide
West Virginia voter registration deadlines
- Register to vote (online): Received by October 13, 2020
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked by October 13, 2020
- Register to vote (in person): Received by October 13, 2020
Check your West Virginia voter registration status
- 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 tool.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
West Virginia voter registration rules
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
Register to vote online in West Virginia
- You can register to vote online if you have a West Virginia driver's license, driver's permit, or state-issued photo ID card.
- Visit the West Virginia online voter registration tool.
- 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 received by October 13, 2020.
Register to vote by mail in West Virginia
- 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 postmarked by October 13, 2020
Register to vote in person in West Virginia
- 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 an official document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or any government document that shows your name and address.
West Virginia vote by mail guide
Your Local Election Office will compare your signature on your voted ballot to the state records. If the signatures don't match, your ballot might be rejected. Please sign carefully.
West Virginia vote by mail deadlines
- Earliest day to apply: August 11, 2020
- Request your mail-in ballot (online): Received by October 28, 2020
- Request your mail-in ballot (by mail): Received by October 28, 2020
- Request your mail-in ballot (in person): Received by October 28, 2020
- Return your mail-in ballot (by mail): Postmarked by November 3, 2020
- Return your mail-in ballot (in person): Received by November 2, 2020
West Virginia vote by mail overview
Voting by mail is not as complicated as you might think. There are only a handful of steps:
- Request your mail-in ballot by the deadline.
- Receive your mail-in ballot via USPS.
- Return your mail-in ballot by the deadline.
West Virginia vote by mail rules
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 vote by mail ID requirements (request)
- 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.
West Virginia vote by mail ID requirements (return)
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
West Virginia vote by mail directions
In almost all cases, you will need to sign up to vote by mail. The state won’t just mail you a ballot. Don't worry: we will walk you through it. There are only a handful of steps:
- You submit an application to vote by mail.
- Your Local Election Office processes your application.
- Your Local Election Office sends your ballot to you.
- You vote using the ballot and return it by the deadline.
Request your mail-in ballot online (recommended)
- Visit the West Virginia vote by mail website.
- Fill out all of the required information.
- Hit save or submit when you are done.
- The deadline to apply online is: received by October 28, 2020.
Request your mail-in ballot via USPS
- Download the West Virginia vote by mail 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.
- The deadline to apply by mail is: received by October 28, 2020.
Request your mail-in ballot in person
- 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: received by October 28, 2020.
Receive and return your mail-in ballot
- 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. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a state-provided dropbox. Please check with your Local Election Office if your county has a dropbox. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official dropbox.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by November 3, 2020.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by November 2, 2020.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
Additional West Virginia voter information
West Virginia early voting
- Early voting starts: 13 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 3 days before Election Day
- What to bring: You must show ID all the polls, but it doesn't need to be a photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID include an ID issued by any state or the federal government, a tribal ID, 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, or any government document that shows your name and address. You can also show your voter registration card, social security card, birth certificate, Medicare or Medicaid card, SNAP or TANF card, bank or debit card, or health insurance card. Just bring something official that shows your name and you should be okay.
West Virginia voter id
- ID requirements for voting in person: You must show ID all the polls, but it doesn't need to be a photo ID. Acceptable forms of photo ID include an ID issued by any state or the federal government, a tribal ID, 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, or any government document that shows your name and address. You can also show your voter registration card, social security card, birth certificate, Medicare or Medicaid card, SNAP or TANF card, bank or debit card, or health insurance card. Just bring something official that shows your name and you should be okay.
- ID requirements for vote by mail request: * 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 requirements for vote by mail return: Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
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
Offsite links
- Check your voter registration directly with West Virginia.
- You have the right to vote. If anyone tries to stop you, call or text the National Election Protection Hotline. Their number is 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).