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Early voting began Wednesday in West Virginia, as we race toward the Nov. 3 general election. If data from the Secretary of State's Office is any indicator, it looks as though an increasing number of Mountain State residents are eager to participate in the decision-making that will shape the next couple of years.
In fact, 17,872 more people are registered to vote now than were registered ahead of the May primary. That means there are 1,210,297 West Virginians who can weigh in. But they have to decide to -- simply registering is not enough.
World Population Review's most recent estimate for the state's population in 2026 is 1,764,892. So, not quite 68.6% of West Virginians are in a position to participate on Nov. 3. Secretary of State Kris Warner's office says 527,532 of them are registered Republicans; 326,697 are registered Democrats; 307,373 are registered as having "no party;" and 48,695 are registered members of the Libertarian, Mountain, Constitution or "other" parties.
How wonderful it would be if all those people turn in ballots.
If getting to the polls between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 is a problem, the start of early voting means you can head to your county courthouse, courthouse annex, or designated early voting locations through Saturday, Oct. 31 excluding Sundays, during business hours and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
"It's encouraging to see West Virginians taking an active role in our constitutional republic,” Warner said. “Whether registering to vote for the first time or keeping their voter registration information up to date, civic engagement is important. We all play a part in ensuring our elections are secure, transparent, and fair."
We also all play a part in making sure our decisions are not made by an extreme few who do not represent the rest of us.
Increased registration is one thing. Increased participation is quite another.
Don't sit it out. Don't rely on someone else. Don't fall into the traps of believing either that one vote doesn't matter OR that so many others will vote as you do that you are not needed.
Whether it is today, via absentee ballot or Nov. 3 at your local polling place, vote.