Voter caging is a colloquial term used in the United States referring to a campaign activity used to remove,or attempt to remove,targeted voters from official lists of registered voters. It occurs when a non-governmental organization,such as a political party or a campaign,sends first-class mail to registered voters,in order to compile a so-called "challenge list" of the names of those whose letters are returned undelivered. The fact that the mail was returned as undeliverable may be seen as either proof,or strong evidence of,the person no longer residing at the address on their voter registration. The challenge list is presented to election officials with the suggestion that the officials should purge these names from the voter registration rolls or to challenge voters' eligibility to vote on the grounds that the voters no longer reside at their registered addresses.
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,both of the U.S. Senate seats,the governorship,and has supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature.
George Cookman Sturgiss was a lawyer and Republican politician who served as United States Representative for West Virginia's 2nd congressional district. He was a member of the 60th and 61st United States Congresses.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of West Virginia face legal challenges not faced by non-LGBT persons. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1976,and same-sex marriage has been recognized since October 2014. West Virginia statutes do not address discrimination on account of sexual orientation or gender identity;however,the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal.
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.
The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 5,2013 general election.
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.
The 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election took place on November 8,2016,to elect the governor of West Virginia,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on May 10.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in West Virginia were held on November 8,2016,to elect the three U.S. representatives from the state of West Virginia,one from each of the state's three congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
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.
West Virginia held elections on November 3,2020. The Democratic and Republican party primary elections were held on June 9,2020.
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.
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.
The 2024 West Virginia Secretary of State election was held on November 5,2024,to elect the next secretary of state of West Virginia,concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections,including for U.S. House and governor of West Virginia. Incumbent Republican secretary of state Mac Warner was eligible to seek re-election to a third term but has chosen instead to run for governor.
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.
