DELEGATE BILL FLANIGAN, R-OHIO

WHEELING — The 2026 election year officially began in West Virginia Monday, and it appears as though there will be an open seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates District 4.

Current Delegate Bill Flanigan, R-Ohio, filed on Day 1 to run for justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, unexpired term, Division 2.

Messages left with Flanigan were not immediately returned Monday.

Candidates wanting to run for office in 2026 can now file the paperwork with the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office in Charleston for statewide office, or at their local courthouse for county races.

Prospective candidates have until midnight on Jan. 31 to file their paperwork.

On the first day of filing there wasn’t a mad rush to local courthouses or the State Capitol to begin campaigns.

Erin Allietta, coordinator of elections in Ohio County, said a “couple of people” had stopped by to pick up paperwork to file, but no one had filed by mid-afternoon.

By the end of the day, however, two current office holders had filed for re-election — Ohio County Commission President Zach Abraham as a Republican and Ohio County Board of Education President David Croft. School board offices are non-partisan, but Croft filed as a Republican.

Among statewide races, Democrats Rio Phillips of Charleston and Rachel Fetty Anderson of Morgantown filed to run for U.S. Senate, as did Republican Janet McNulty of Martinsburg.

U.S. Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia., of Harpers Ferry, filed for re-election In House District 2.

State Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, will seek re-election in Senate District 1, while newcomer and Republican Toby Heaney has filed to run for the State Senate in District 2.

Republican William Russell Bell of Paden City is a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 8.

In Brooke County, Sarah DeLong entered the race for an unexpired term as magistrate.

Republican Wes Perry filed in four different races – Congressional District Executive Committee, male, District 2; Senatorial District Executive Committee, male, District 1; Delegate District Executive Committee, male, District 3; County Executive Committee, male, District Wellsburg.

Democrat Michael Traubert is a candidate in Brooke County for the County Executive Committee, male, District Wellsburg.

In Tyler County, Steven C. Weigle will be on the GOP ballot in the race for county commission.