From the time of the Great Depression through the 1990s,the politics of West Virginia were largely dominated by the Democratic Party. In the 2000 presidential election,George W. Bush claimed a surprise victory over Al Gore,with 52% of the vote;he won West Virginia again in 2004,with 56% of the vote. West Virginia is now a heavily Republican state,with John McCain winning the state in 2008,Mitt Romney in 2012 and Donald Trump in 2016,2020,and 2024.
John Reeves Raese is an American businessman and perennial Republican Party candidate for political office in West Virginia. He lost campaigns to represent West Virginia in the United States Senate in 1984,2006,2010,and 2012. He was also defeated in the Republican primary in the election for Governor of West Virginia in 1988.
The West Virginia Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in West Virginia. Matthew Herridge is the party chair. It is currently the dominant party in the state,and is one of the strongest affiliates of the national Republican Party. It controls both of West Virginia's U.S. House seats,one of the U.S. Senate seats,the governorship,and has supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature.
Elections in Virginia are authorized under Article I of the Virginia State Constitution,sections 5–6,and Article V which establishes elections for the state-level officers,cabinet,and legislature. Article VII section 4 establishes the election of county-level officers. Elections are regulated under state statute 24.2-102. The Virginia State Board of Elections oversees the execution of elections under state law. In a 2020 study,Virginia was ranked as the 12th easiest state for citizens to vote in.
Frank LaRose is an American politician who has served as the 51st Secretary of State of Ohio since January 2019. He was a Republican member of the Ohio State Senate for two terms,from January 2011 to January 2019. He was a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in the 2024 election,challenging incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown. He lost to Bernie Moreno in the primary.
The 2014 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 4,2014,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia,concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This election was the fifth consecutive even-number year in which a senate election was held in West Virginia after elections in 2006,2008,2010,and 2012.
Voter suppression in the United States consists of various legal and illegal efforts to prevent eligible citizens from exercising their right to vote. Such voter suppression efforts vary by state,local government,precinct,and election. Voter suppression has historically been used for racial,economic,gender,age and disability discrimination. After the American Civil War,all African-American men were granted voting rights,but poll taxes or language tests were used to limit and suppress the ability to register or cast a ballot. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 improved voting access. Since the beginning of voter suppression efforts,proponents of these laws have cited concerns over electoral integrity as a justification for various restrictions and requirements,while opponents argue that these constitute bad faith given the lack of voter fraud evidence in the United States.
William Paul Cole III is an American businessman,politician and a former Republican member of the West Virginia Senate,representing the 6th district from 2013 to 2017. He was the President of the Senate from 2015 to 2017. Cole also served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from May 28,2010,to January 12,2011,to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Delegate John Shott.
The 2018 United States Senate election in Virginia took place on November 6,2018,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the Commonwealth of Virginia,concurrently with other elections to the U.S. Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives,and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Kaine,who had been his party's unsuccessful nominee for vice president two years earlier,was re-elected to a second term in office,winning this seat by the largest margin since 1988. This was the first election since 1994 that anyone had been re-elected to this seat.
The 2018 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 6,2018,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia,concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives,and various state and local elections. This was one of ten Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
The 2020 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 3,2020,to elect the governor of West Virginia,concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 2,2021,to elect the next governor of Virginia. The election was concurrent with other elections for Virginia state offices. Incumbent Democratic governor Ralph Northam was ineligible to run for re-election,as the Constitution of Virginia prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms. Businessman Glenn Youngkin won the Republican nomination at the party's May 8 convention,which was held in 37 polling locations across the state,and was officially declared the nominee on May 10. The Democratic Party held its primary election on June 8,which former governor Terry McAuliffe easily won.
West Virginia held elections on November 3,2020. The Democratic and Republican party primary elections were held on June 9,2020.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia were held on November 8,2022,to elect the two U.S. representatives from the State of West Virginia,one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate,and various state and local elections.
Elections to the West Virginia House of Delegates took place on November 3,2020. All the seats in the West Virginia House of Delegates were up for election.
The 2024 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 5,2024,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of West Virginia. Democratic Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott and Republican Governor Jim Justice were seeking their first term in office. Justice will succeed independent incumbent Joe Manchin,who did not seek a third full term.
West Virginia held elections on November 8,2016. Elections for the United States House,as well as for several statewide offices including the governorship were held. These elections were held concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other elections nationwide. Primary elections were held on May 10,2016.
The 2024 West Virginia gubernatorial election was held on November 5,2024,to elect the governor of West Virginia,concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey was elected to his first term in office after defeating Democratic Huntington mayor Steve Williams in the general election. Incumbent Republican Jim Justice was term-limited and was unable to seek re-election to a third consecutive term in office;he instead ran for the U.S. Senate.
Debbie Law Warner is an American politician serving as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 82nd district. Elected on November 8,2022,she assumed office on December 1,2022. She previously ran for a seat in 2018 but lost to Democrat Barbara Fleischauer.
West Virginia held elections on November 5,2024. Primary elections were held on May 14,2024.
