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WHEELING - Registered voters in West Virginia can still cast an early ballot if they do so by 5 p.m. Saturday.
Early polling locations in local counties are at county courthouses and Saturday hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Ohio County, the number of early votes cast was approaching 3,000 as early voting approaches its end. The most recent voter registration totals show the county with 27,418 registered voters.
"I wouldn't say we've had a lot of voters compared to registration totals, but we are doing way better than we did in May," said Erin Allietta, coordinator of elections in Ohio County.
She noted many find being able to vote early - particularly at lunch time or on Saturdays - rather helpful.
"Early voting is more convenient with regard to time," Allietta continued. "While the voting is consistent and you may have to wait a few minutes, there typically aren't long lines.
"And people can come in on their lunch break rather than having to stand in line on Election Day. It's a well-oiled machine down there."
She noted the early voting traffic has been steady.
"I'm pleased, but not surprised," Allietta said. "We knew the turnout would be better now than it was last May.
"Our goal is 3,000 early voters, and we should get there easily by Saturday."
Marshall County Clerk Connie Howard said the early vote turnout "has been very high" there compared to what it was in 2022, the last off-year election.
The county has been averaging about 300 early voters a day, and also has a goal of about 3,000 early votes being cast by the end of the day on Saturday.
Marshall County has 19,926 registered voters.
"The weather is supposed to be good," she said. "Voters are having no problem with the machines. They also seem to not have any problems with showing identification. It has been going very smoothly."
Early voting does get one thing taken care of in a busy person's life, Howard added.
"You're not chained to Election Day if something else is going on. If you are in town, stop in and get it taken care of," she said.