West Virginia General Election officially begins on Friday

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — County clerks in West Virginia will begin to mail absentee ballots on Friday, marking the official start of the 2024 General Election.

Although absentee voters will begin returning their votes as soon as next week, there is still plenty of time to register to vote or register for an absentee ballot, according to a release from West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner. Citizens can register to vote until Oct. 15 and request an absentee ballot until Oct. 30.

Already registered voters also need to make sure that their address and name are up to date by the Oct. 15 deadline.

Voters are eligible for an absentee ballot if they are injured or ill, are immobilized from a disability or old age, are incarcerated, work hours or at a location that would make it hard for them to get to their polling place, are traveling, live temporarily out of the country.

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Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Registered West Virginians will be able to vote for national offices like the President of the United States, state offices like the governor as well as local offices in their communities.

"My office has worked with the West Virginia legislature as well as our county clerks and political party leaders throughout the state to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat," Warner said in the release.

During the 2024 Primary Election, West Virginia's voter turnout was at 30.32% , with some counties below 18%.