photo by: Steven Allen Adams

Seated at the table, from left, Nicholas County Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman Benjean Rapp, former state Republican Party chairwoman Melody Potter, former Berkeley County lawmaker John Overington, and Former Wood County commissioner and state lawmaker Rick Modesitt cast their electoral votes in the Governor’s Cabinet and Conference Room Tuesday as Gov. Jim Justice and Secretary of State Mac Warner supervise.

CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s four electors cast their Electoral College ballots Tuesday afternoon for former Republican President Donald Trump in a ceremony overseen by Gov. Jim Justice and Secretary of State Mac Warner.

“I’m really proud of you all. This is so good,” said Justice, who will take office next month as the state’s junior U.S. senator, as he watched the certification documents being signed.

Former Wood County commissioner and state lawmaker Rick Modesitt, former Berkeley County lawmaker John Overington, former state Republican Party chairwoman Melody Potter and Nicholas County Republican Executive Committee Chairwoman Benjean Rapp officially cast their ballots in a signing ceremony in the Governor’s Cabinet and Conference Room at the Capitol.

“These four people are going to do an honor today that is absolutely bestowed upon them. That’s really special stuff,” Justice said. “You’re absolutely doing something today that’s historical … It’s not very often in your lives that history gives you the opportunity to touch your life.”

The state’s 55 counties canvassed the votes in November and had 30 days from the end of the election to certify their results and send those certifications to the Secretary of State’s Office. The deadline for counties to certify election results this year was Dec. 6. Official results will be presented to the Legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

According to results, Trump carried West Virginia in November with 533,556 votes, carrying 69.98% of the vote compared to his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, with 214,309 votes (28.11%). Trump carried all 55 counties in the state.

“What a historic day for our party, state, and country,” said Matt Herridge, chairman of the West Virginia Republican Party, in a statement Tuesday following the ceremony. “We are incredibly proud to be the only state in the union to deliver President Trump every county in the state and 70% of our vote — and our Electors affirmed that support today, casting all 4 votes for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance!”

Turnout for the November election was 63.69%, which was the largest turnout since the previous record set in 2020. Of the state’s 1.2 million registered voters, 770,587 cast ballots in November.

The 2024 election marked the first election for the state since West Virginia dropped from three congressional districts to two after the 2020 U.S. Census, reducing West Virginia’s electoral votes from five to four.

The U.S. Constitution and U.S. Code sets the rules for how electors cast their ballots, which occurs on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December following the November general election.

“All across the nation, groups like this in 50 states are gathering to cast their votes,” Warner said. “We’re all doing it on the same day. Then the West Virginia Code 31-14 provides that presidential elections of electors shall meet in the Office of the Governor and vote for the president and vice president. So, that’s what we’re doing here today.”

The electors signed the certificate of vote, which will then be sent to Congress, which will meet on Jan. 6, in a joint session to count the 538 electoral votes. After Congress certifies the vote for Trump, he will be sworn in on Jan. 20.

This was Warner’s second time supervising the casting of electoral ballots, having done so in the 2020 presidential election. Warner, first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2020, will retire at the beginning of January after unsuccessfully seeking the Republican nomination for governor in May. Warner will be succeeded as secretary of state by his brother, Economic Development Authority Executive Director Kris Warner.