Charleston, W.Va. — Increased use of absentee-by-mail ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic has likely caused slower-than-normal in-person early voting turnout in West Virginia’s 2020 Primary Election.

According to Secretary of State Mac Warner, around halfway through this year’s in-person early voting, numbers are 24.6% of the total early voter turnout in the 2016 Presidential Primary.

As of 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, a total of 24,804 registered West Virginia voters had cast a ballot in person at an early voting location. In WV’s 2016 Primary Election, a total of 100,962 registered voters cast early in-person ballots. (See below for a county breakdown)

Additionally, as of Tuesday morning, a total of 145 registered West Virginia voters had used the electronic ballot return option. The option is only available to certain overseas, military and registered voters with physical disabilities who are eligible to receive, mark, and return a ballot electronically.

"West Virginia offers its voters more options than any other state in the nation to cast a ballot and to participate in our election process," Warner said. "I want to encourage every registered person to vote."

Early voting for West Virginia's June 9 Primary Election started May 27 and will end on Saturday, June 6.

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