2020 West Virginia elections

2020 West Virginia elections

←  2018 November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03) 2022  →
Registered	802,726 [1]
Turnout	63.25% ( 15.32%)

West Virginia held elections on November 3, 2020. The Democratic and Republican party primary elections were held on June 9, 2020.

The 2020 elections solidified West Virginia's rightward shift as Republican party candidates won all U.S. House seats, statewide executive offices and the U.S. Senate seat up for election (all with more than 56% of the vote) while also expanding their majorities in both state legislative chambers. President Donald Trump won every county in the state and 68.62% of the statewide vote in his re-election bid, for a statewide margin of 38.93%, although losing re-election.

Federal offices

President

Main article: 2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia

See also: 2020 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary and 2020 West Virginia Republican presidential primary

Incumbent Republican Donald Trump easily carried West Virginia, capturing 68.62% of the vote. Trump captured every county in the state and it was his second-best showing, behind only Wyoming.

Senate

Main article: 2020 United States Senate election in West Virginia

Incumbent senator Shelley Moore Capito was easily reelected. With a vote share of 70.3%, she was the first Republican senator to win reelection in West Virginia since 1907.

House of Representatives

Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia

All 3 Incumbent Republican U.S. Representatives were easily reelected, all increasing their vote share compared to 2018.

Governor

Main article: 2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election

Incumbent Republican governor Jim Justice won reelection to a second term over Democrat Ben Salango with 64.8% of the vote. Justice increased his vote margin substantially compared with his first election in 2016, when he was the democratic candidate, receiving just 49.1% of the overall vote. This was the first time a Republican candidate carried every county in the state during a gubernatorial election.

State legislature

State senate

Main article: 2020 West Virginia Senate election

17 of the 34 seats in the West Virginia State Senate held elections, including 11 Republican-held seats and 6 Democratic-held seats. Four incumbents chose not to seek re-election due to retirement: Democrats Paul Hardesty, Roman Prezioso, and Corey Palumbo and Republican Kenny Mann. Republicans won 3 seats over Democratic candidates, increasing their majority in the chamber from 20 to 23 seats. ^{[2] [3]}

House of Delegates

Main article: 2020 West Virginia House of Delegates election

All 100 seats in the West Virginia House of Delegates will have an election. Nineteen incumbents chose not to seek re-election: 11 Democrats and 8 Republicans. Republicans flipped 18 seats, increasing their majority in the chamber from 58 to 76 seats. ^{[4] [5]}

Attorney general

2020 West Virginia Attorney General election

←  2016 November 3, 2020 2024  →

Nominee Patrick Morrisey Sam Petsonk Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 487,250 276,798 Percentage 63.77% 36.23%

County results Precinct results Morrisey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Petsonk:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Tie:      50%

Attorney General before election Darrell McGraw Democratic Elected Attorney General Patrick Morrisey Republican

Republican incumbent Patrick Morrisey was re-elected with 51.63% of the vote in 2016 and successfully sought re-election. ^[6]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Patrick Morrisey, incumbent attorney general of West Virginia and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018 ^[7]

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Patrick Morrisey (incumbent)	175,837	100.0%
Total votes			175,837	100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Sam Petsonk, attorney ^[8]
• Isaac Sponaugle, state delegate ^[9]

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sam Petsonk	86,849	50.0%
	Democratic	Isaac Sponaugle	86,704	50.0%
Total votes			173,553	100.0%

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Patrick Morrisey (R)	Sam Petsonk (D)	Undecided
Triton Polling and Research/WMOV [10]	October 19–21, 2020	544 (LV)	± 4.2%	53%	41%	6%
Triton Polling & Research/WMOV [11]	September 29–30, 2020 [b]	525 (RV)	± 4.3%	53%	41%	6%

General election

General election results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Patrick Morrisey (incumbent)	487,250	63.77%
	Democratic	Sam Petsonk	276,798	36.23%
Total votes			764,048	100.0%

Secretary of state

Main article: 2020 West Virginia Secretary of State election

Results by county

  Warner

•   50-60%
•   60-70%
•   70-80%
•   80-90%

  Tennant

•   50-60%

2020 West Virginia Secretary of State election ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mac Warner (incumbent)	447,537	58.26%
	Democratic	Natalie Tennant	320,650	41.74%
Total votes			768,187	100.0%

Treasurer

Main article: 2020 West Virginia State Treasurer election

Democratic incumbent John Perdue was re-elected with 50.33% of the vote in 2016, but lost re-election to Republican candidate Riley Moore. ^[13]

Results by county

  Moore

•   50-60%
•   60-70%
•   70-80%
•   80-90%

  Perdue

•   50-60%
•   60-70%

2020 West Virginia State Treasurer election ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Riley Moore	425,745	56.31%
	Democratic	John Perdue (incumbent)	330,316	43.69%
Total votes			756,061	100.0%
	Republican gain from Democratic

Auditor

2020 West Virginia State Auditor election

←  2016 November 3, 2020 2024  →

Nominee JB McCuskey Mary Ann Claytor Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 496,845 244,427 Percentage 67.03% 32.97%

County results Precinct results McCuskey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Claytor:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Tie:      50%

State Auditor before election JB McCuskey Republican Elected State Auditor JB McCuskey Republican

Republican incumbent JB McCuskey was elected with 58.48% of the vote in 2016 and successfully sought re-election. ^[15]

Republican primary

Candidates

• JB McCuskey, incumbent West Virginia State Auditor

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	JB McCuskey (incumbent)	169,577	100.0%
Total votes			169,577	100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Mary Ann Claytor, accountant and auditor, nominee for West Virginia State Auditor in 2016, candidate for West Virginia State Senate in 2018, and former candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in 2020 ^[16]

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mary Ann Claytor	156,089	100.0%
Total votes			156,089	100.0%

General election

General election results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	JB McCuskey (incumbent)	496,845	67.03%
	Democratic	Mary Ann Claytor	244,427	32.97%
Total votes			741,272	100.0%

Commissioner of Agriculture

2020 West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture election

←  2016 November 3, 2020 2024  →

Nominee Kent Leonhardt Bob Beach Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 480,386 258,912 Percentage 64.98% 35.02%

County results Precinct results Leonhardt:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Beach:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% Tie:      50%

Secretary of State before election Kent Leonhardt Republican Elected Secretary of State Kent Leonhardt Republican

Republican incumbent Kent Leonhardt was elected with 48.41% of the vote in 2016 and successfully sought re-election. ^[17]

Republican primary

Candidates

• Kent Leonhardt, incumbent West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture
• Roy Ramey, farm owner and American Freedom nominee for West Virginia State Senate in 2014 ^{[18] [19]}

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kent Leonhardt (incumbent)	113,586	63.5%
	Republican	Roy Ramey	65,336	36.5%
Total votes			178,922	100.0%

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Bob Beach, state senator ^[20]
• William Keplinger, farmer and businessman ^[21]
• Dave Miller, farmer ^[22]

Withdrawn

• Patricia Bunner, attorney ^[23]

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bob Beach	81,074	48.0%
	Democratic	William Keplinger	44,084	26.1%
	Democratic	Dave Miller	43,916	26.0%
Total votes			169,074	100.0%

General election

General election results ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kent Leonhardt (incumbent)	480,386	64.98%
	Democratic	Bob Beach	258,912	35.02%
Total votes			739,298	100.0%

Supreme Court of Appeals

Division 1

The incumbent was Tim Armstead, who was appointed to the court to replace Justice Menis Ketchum, who resigned from the court shortly before being convicted on a felony fraud charge. Armstead then won a 2018 special election to serve the remainder of Ketchum's term with 26.1% of the vote. He successfully won re-election to a full term. ^{[24] [25]}

Candidates

• Tim Armstead, incumbent justice and chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ^[25]
• David Hummel Jr., circuit court judge on the Second West Virginia Circuit Court ^[26]
• Richard Neely, former chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ^[27]

Results by county

  Armstead

•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   50-60%
•   60-70%

  Neely

•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   50-60%

  Hummel

•   40-50%
•   50-60%
•   70-80%
•   80-90%

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Tim Armstead (incumbent)	151,755	41.0%
	Nonpartisan	Richard Neely	132,069	35.7%
	Nonpartisan	David Hummel Jr.	86,112	23.3%
Total votes			369,936	100.0%

Division 2

The incumbent Margaret Workman, did not seek re-election after controversies and the threat of possible impeachment. Bill Wooton, a former state senator, was elected with 31.0% of the vote. ^{[24] [28]}

Candidates

• Jim Douglas, family court judge on the Eleventh West Virginia Circuit Court ^[29]
• Kris Raynes, Putnam County assistant prosecuting attorney ^[30]
• Joanna Tabit, circuit court judge on the Thirteenth West Virginia Circuit Court ^[31]
• William R. Wooton, former state senator and candidate for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in 2016 ^[32]

Results by county

  Wooton

•   20-30%
•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   50-60%
•   60-70%
•   70-80%

  Tabit

•   20-30%
•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   60-70%

  Raynes

•   30-40%
•   50-60%

  Douglas

•   30-40%
•   40-50%

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	William R. Wooton	115,668	31.0%
	Nonpartisan	Joanna Tabit	108,952	29.2%
	Nonpartisan	Kris Raynes	74,334	19.9%
	Nonpartisan	Jim Douglas	73,843	19.8%
Total votes			372,797	100.0%

Division 3

The incumbent was John A. Hutchison, who was appointed to the court to replace justice Allen Loughry, who resigned from the court in the midst of his impeachment trial. Hutchison successfully sought re-election to serve the remainder of Loughry's term. ^{[24] [33] [34]}

Candidates

• Lora Dyer, circuit court judge on the Fifth West Virginia Circuit Court ^[35]
• John A. Hutchison, incumbent justice and former circuit court judge ^[33]
• William Schwartz, attorney ^[36]

Results by county

  Hutchison

•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   60-70%
•   70-80%
•   80-90%

  Dyer

•   30-40%
•   40-50%
•   50-60%
•   60-70%
•   80-90%

  Schwartz

•   30-40%
•   40-50%

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	John A. Hutchison (incumbent)	137,681	39.2%
	Nonpartisan	Lora Dyer	124,939	31.0%
	Nonpartisan	William Schwartz	88,369	25.6%
Total votes			350,989	100.0%

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. Additional data sourced from FiveThirtyEight

References

1. "November 3, 2020 General Election Official Results Turnout". results.enr.clarityelections.com. November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
2. "West Virginia State Senate elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.
3. "West Virginia State Senate". Ballotpedia.
4. "West Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.
5. "West Virginia House of Delegates". Ballotpedia.
6. "West Virginia Attorney General election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
7. "Patrick Morrisey". Ballotpedia.
8. "Sam Petsonk for Attorney General". Sam Petsonk for Attorney General. Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
9. "Isaac Sponaugle". Ballotpedia.
10. Triton Polling and Research/WMOV
11. Triton Polling & Research/WMOV
12. "November 3, 2020 General Election - Official Results". West Virginia State - Clarity Elections. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
13. "West Virginia Treasurer election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
14. "November 3, 2020 General Election - Official Results". West Virginia State - Clarity Elections. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
15. "West Virginia Auditor election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
16. "Mary Ann Claytor". Ballotpedia.
17. "West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner election, 2020". Ballotpedia.
18. "Roy Ramey for WV". www.facebook.com.
19. "Roy L. Ramey". Ballotpedia.
20. "Robert Beach (West Virginia)". Ballotpedia.
21. "W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture candidate: William "JR" Keplinger (D)". The Herald-Dispatch. March 26, 2020.
22. "W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture candidate: Dave Miller (D)". The Herald-Dispatch. March 16, 2020.
23. "Patricia Bunner - Lawyer in Fairview, WV - Avvo" . Retrieved March 19, 2023.
24. "West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals elections, 2020". Ballotpedia.
25. "Tim Armstead". Ballotpedia.
26. "David W. Hummel, Jr".
27. "Richard Neely". Ballotpedia.
28. "Margaret Workman". Ballotpedia.
29. "Jim Douglas". Ballotpedia.
30. "Kris Raynes". Ballotpedia.
31. "Joanna I. Tabit". Ballotpedia.
32. "William Wooton". Ballotpedia.
33. https://ballotpedia.org/John_A._Hutchinson ^{[ dead link ‍]}
34. "West Virginia judicial elections, 2012". Ballotpedia.
35. "Lora Dyer". Ballotpedia.
36. Barger, K. "WV election | Schwartzforwv.com | United States". Wks2020.

External links

• Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, "West Virginia", Voting & Elections Toolkits
• "West Virginia: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links", Vote.org , Oakland, CA
• "League of Women Voters of West Virginia". (State affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
• West Virginia at Ballotpedia
• "Election Guides: West Virginia", Spreadthevote.org, archived from the original on October 4, 2020, retrieved October 7, 2020. (Guidance to help voters get to the polls; addresses transport, childcare, work, information challenges)
• "State Elections Legislation Database", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures, State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020

Official campaign websites for Attorney General

• Patrick Morrisey (R) for Attorney General Archived May 12, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
• Sam Petsonk (D) for Attorney General Archived May 23, 2020, at the Wayback Machine

Official campaign websites for Secretary of State

• Natalie Tennant (D) for Secretary of State
• Mac Warner (R) for Secretary of State

Official campaign websites for Treasurer

• Riley Moore (R) for Treasurer
• John Perdue (D) for Treasurer

Official campaign websites for Auditor

• Mary Ann Claytor (D) for Auditor Archived June 19, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
• JB McCuskey (R) for Auditor

Official campaign websites for Commissioner of Agriculture

• Bob Beach (D) for Commissioner
• Kent Leonhardt (R) for Commissioner