West Virginia’s abysmal voter turnout a challenge for both political parties

As early voting kicks off on Wednesday, West Virginia’s political parties are trying to motivate voters in a state that has an abysmal voter turnout rate.

Population decline, poverty, transportation barriers and political party apathy contribute to a lack of West Virginians at the polls.

On a Tuesday in October, Marion County Democrats Chair Jarryd Powell sat in the county’s Democratic headquarters, a former hair salon now decorated with historical posters and a President Barack Obama bobblehead. Campaign signs for Democrat candidates in state-wide and local races filled the front windows.

He is trying to motivate local Democrat and Independent voters in one of the state’s remaining nine blue counties. There are Senate and House races on the local ballot that could potentially put more Dems in the Republican-majority Legislature.

“To motivate them, we’re saying, ‘This is still your party,” he said. “It might not be the party that they have heard it to be. We have some great candidates, and we are not what the opposition makes us out to be. We’re definitely going to see a push to utilize early voting.”

In 2020, West Virginia had the second-lowest citizen voting rate in the country, according to the U.S. Census, with 55% of residents voting. Only 30% of registered voters cast ballots in the May primary election earlier this year.

“In some parts of the state, you’re getting less than 30% turnout,” said Samuel Workman, director of the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs at West Virginia University. “It’s the mundane thing: do people think the election is close enough that their vote is going to matter?”

Former President Donald Trump is expected to carry West Virginia in November and claim the state’s four electoral votes. Neither Trump nor his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, have visited the state — unofficially marking it decided as red.

Around the state, Democrat and Republicans are trying to push the importance of down ballot races as residents will also vote for the next governor, Legislature members, a Constitutional Amendment regarding medically assisted suicide, and more.

“It’s busy. Every day we’re having conversations with voters,” said Paula Martinelli, vice chair of the Monongalia County Republicans. Her chapter has used billboards, mailers, television ads, social media and more to encourage people to vote. “The voters we’re dealing with are highly motivated. There’s a lot of motivation on their part to get to vote.”

Statewide, Republican voter registrations are growing, representing 41.2% of the state’s total registered voters. In Monongalia County, Republican voter registrations have also been growing, closing in on the number of registered Democrats in the blue county.

Secretary of State’s data in September showed 21,499 Monongalia County voters were registered as Republican, compared to 23,065 Democrat registrations. Less than 1,600 registration separated the two parties; in 2016, Democrats were 9,000 registrations ahead. Independent voter registrations have grown in the area, too.

Martinelli noted she was excited for Republican Jason Morgan, who is running to be county sheriff. There are Republicans looking to pick up or maintain House seats, she said, and there’s a Senate race in one part of the county.

The Marion County Democratic Headquarters in Fairmont, W.Va. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)

“We’re closer to flipping it every day. We’re moving that needle closer,” she said.

Lack of competitive races a factor in low voter turnout

Workman said a lack of competitive races, particular Democrats trying to win in a red state, has contributed to low voter turnout. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, a Democrat running for governor, is significantly behind in fundraising compared to his opponent, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.

Samuel Workman, director of the Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs at West Virginia University

The [Democratic National Convention] has not spent a ton of money in the state,” he said. “Without competitive state races for Democrats, they’re going to stay home.”

There are other barriers, Workman said, like finding a ride to the polls in the state’s most rural areas with limited or no public transportation. Child care access, an ongoing issue in West Virginia, can also affect voter turnout.

The state’s staggering population decline – the fastest in the nation – has also contributed to low voter turnout, Workman said. Young people are leaving the state for job opportunities; voters have said it’s the top issue facing the state. “If you don’t see yourself here long term, it’s very difficult to become invested in elections,” he said.

The state’s Republican supermajority has considered and passed legislation targeted at improving the state’s economy; there has also been a consistent focus on social issues. The Legislature passed bans on abortion and gender afriming care while struggling to get a bill that banned child marriage across the finish line.

“If the state is disproportionate in its focus on those social issues, it means less attention to economic development,” Workman said. “[Young voters] prioritize, ‘Can I see myself having a great career here?’”

In Marion County, Powell said voters have begun focusing on the state Legislature more than the top of the ticket.

Lisa Zuckoff is sending informational postcards, pictured here, to registered voters in the Northern Panhandle. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)

“The focus has shifted towards what’s going on locally, and what the local representatives are actually doing down in Charleston,” he said. “I think they’re looking at their local candidates, then saying, ‘Here’s an opportunity where, even if the entire state might not flip, we want to try and make some gains within these districts.’”

As the election approaches, former House of Delegates member Lisa Zuckoff, a Democrat in Moundsville, has been working to register and educate voters in the Northern Panhandle.

“Just because you lose an election doesn’t mean what you care about goes away,” said Zuckoff, who lost her reelection bid in 2020 as the Republican stronghold grew. Children’s issues, like the state’s troubled foster care system and financially-struggling public schools, continued to drive her, she said.

Zuckoff, in conjunction with the Ohio County Democrat women’s group, took a data-driven approach to finding Democrats and Independents who don’t consistently vote.

“Independent voting increased in the last 10 years. That shows me that people aren’t happy with either party. Showing them that we care about them voting is important too,” she said. “We’ve been calling people on the telephone or texting them and reminding them how important it is to vote.”

She fundraised and used some of her own money to pay for informational postcards for voters.

“You have no idea who they’re going to vote for when they go to the poll, but the idea is that we will help everyone,” she said.

A complete list of early voting locations and sample ballots for each county are available on the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com. Follow West Virginia Watch on Facebook and X.