W.Va. Early Vote Ends With Strong Turnout
Numbers Doubled in Five Counties Since Primary Election
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WHEELING -- Early voting season ended Saturday in West Virginia, with Northern Panhandle counties posting strong turnout numbers.
Five counties had at least double the number of early ballots submitted for the May 6 primary election, while one -- Hancock County -- tripled the number of early votes cast.
The figures bode well for Election Day turnout on Tuesday. Polls in both West Virginia and Ohio will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
Election workers in Ohio County had hoped to break the 4,000 early ballot mark before the close of early polls Saturday, but the ending figure was just 20 voters shy at 3,980.
"For a mid-term election, it probably is a record for us," said Toni Chieffalo, coordinator of elections in Ohio County.
Ohio County had 1,511 early ballots cast in the primary election.
In Marshall County, 850 voted early in the primary election. For the general election on Tuesday, 2,447 early ballots were submitted by 5 p.m. Saturday.
There were 1,536 early ballots cast in Hancock County as of a report done at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. This was more than triple the early votes in May.
"In the primary, we had 488 cast ballots cast -- so it has increased a bit," said Hancock County Clerk's Office employee Barb Ross.
Wetzel County saw 756 early votes in the primary election. As of 4 p.m. Saturday, 1,530 had cast early ballots there for the general election.
"There's a lot more than in the primary, and we will probably top our record," said Wetzel County Clerk Carol Haught.
Brooke County had 1,391 early voters as of 4 p.m. Saturday.
"In the 2016 president election, we had 1,700," Brooke County Clerk Sylvia Benzo said. "But in May, we had less than 450 (446).
"It is a good sign that people are interested in politics."
Tyler County reported 777 residents early voted there by 4 p.m. Saturday. In May, 457 cast ballots there for the primary election.