Charleston, W. Va. – The Governor’s decision to move the West Virginia Primary Election to June 9 also allowed citizens additional time to register to vote or to update their current voter registration.
According to Secretary of State Mac Warner, eligible residents have until Tuesday, May 19, to register to vote. He said it is also important for voters to ensure their registration information is accurate. This includes those who may have moved to a new address.
Registering to vote or checking your current registration can now be done online anytime at GoVoteWV.com.
In the 2020 Primary Election, registered voters may cast their ballots in-person, either during Early Voting or on Election Day at a polling location, or by absentee mail-in ballot. Due to COVID-19, all registered voters may vote an absentee mail-in ballot under the “other medical reason” excuse listed on the absentee ballot request form.
Voters participating in the 2020 Primary Election for the first time since registering in their county, are required by law to include a government document that provides the voter’s (1) name, and (2) address with their absentee ballot. If one of the following forms of ID is not provided, the ballot must be made provisional by the county upon receipt and considered by the board of canvassers at time of canvass. Below is a list of the statutory forms of ID:
Current and valid photo ID
Copy of a current utility bill (e.g. electrical bill stub)
Bank statement
Government check copy (e.g. stimulus check from Federal government, tax return, regular gov’t benefits check stub/receipt, etc.)
Paycheck
Any other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.
Registered voters who live overseas or are deployed with a branch of the U.S. Military, or who are living with a physical disability that prevents them from (1) going to the polls, and (2) marking a paper absentee ballot without assistance, are eligible to vote absentee by mail or using an electronic absentee process. For more information about absentee voting options for voters covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), click here.
“West Virginia offers registered voters a number of options to cast a ballot and participate in our elections,” Warner said. “Regardless of how a citizen chooses to vote, we want everyone to participate.”
In-person voting begins Wednesday, May 27, and ends Saturday, June 6. Election Day is June 9.
For more information on the June 9 Primary Election, including polling locations and a directory of county clerks, visit GoVoteWV.com.