Voter Registration & Elections

Nikki Painter

Senior Chief Deputy Clerk

Phone: 304-728-3246
Email: nikki.n.painter@jeffcowv.gov

Am I Registered to Vote?

You can check your voter registration status online by entering your name and date of birth.

How Can I Register to Vote?

You have several options for registering to vote in Jefferson County:

• In Person: Visit the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office at 393 North Lawrence Street, Charles Town, WV.
• By Mail: Download a voter registration application, complete it, and return it to the Clerk’s Office.
• Online: Complete the online voter registration application through the West Virginia Secretary of State.

To register, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a United States citizen.
• Be at least 17 years old and turn 18 on or before the next General Election.
• Be a legal resident of West Virginia and the county where you are applying.
• Not be currently under conviction, probation, or parole for a felony, treason, or bribery.
• Not have been judged mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Applications may be submitted at any time. However, registrations received 21 days or less before an election will not be processed until after that election.

Follow the instructions provided with the application and complete all required information. Incomplete applications will be returned. If you do not include a copy of your driver’s license or state-issued identification showing your current physical address, your address must be verified through the U.S. Postal Service. This process may take approximately 10 business days.

Can Convicted Felons Register to Vote?

Individuals currently under conviction, probation, or parole for a felony, treason, or election bribery are not eligible to register to vote under the requirements provided by the County Clerk’s Office. Once the sentence has been served and the individual is no longer on probation or parole, they may register to vote.

Where do I go to vote?

Early Voting

Early voting takes place at the Jefferson County Government Complex during the 10 days within the two weeks preceding an election.

Jefferson County Government Complex

393 North Lawrence Street
Charles Town, WV

Election Day Voting

On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned polling location. The Government Complex is not an Election Day polling place and will be closed to voting.

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I Cannot Make It to My Polling Place on Election Day.
Can I Vote Absentee?

Registered voters may be eligible to vote by absentee ballot if they are confined or will be outside their home county for the entire in-person voting period, including both the 10-day early voting period and Election Day, for a reason permitted by law.

Eligible circumstances include:

• An injury, illness, physical disability, or advanced age that prevents you from leaving your residence.
• Attending school outside your county or state. The ballot must be mailed outside your county of residence.
• Traveling outside your county for business or personal reasons. The ballot must be mailed outside your county of residence.
• Incarceration or home confinement for a misdemeanor while legally registered to vote.
• Work hours and distance from the county seat that make voting in person impossible.
• A temporary work assignment outside your county lasting four years or less. The ballot must be mailed outside your county of residence.
• Service as an elected or appointed state or federal official requiring temporary residence outside your county. The ballot must be mailed outside your county of residence.

Eligible voters must complete an absentee ballot application by hand and return it to the County Clerk’s Office. The voter must personally sign or make their mark on the application. A power of attorney cannot sign on the voter’s behalf.

Absentee Ballot Application Deadlines

Applications may be accepted beginning 84 days before an election and must be received by the County Clerk no later than six days before the election. Ballots begin mailing 46 days before the election. Once received, voters should complete and return their ballots as soon as possible.

I Am Active-Duty Military, a Military Spouse or Dependent, or a U.S. Citizen Living Overseas.
How Do I Vote?

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and West Virginia law provide additional absentee voting opportunities for eligible military and overseas voters.

UOCAVA voters include:

• Members of the uniformed services and merchant marines serving on active duty.
• Spouses and dependents of eligible service members.
• United States citizens temporarily or permanently residing outside the country.

Visit the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website for voting instructions and additional information.

How Does My Party Affiliation Affect Me in the Primary Election?

West Virginia holds closed Primary Elections. This means your registered political party generally determines which party’s ballot you may receive.

The five political parties recognized by the state are Constitution, Democrat, Libertarian, Mountain, and Republican. Voters registered with one of these parties may only receive that party’s ballot. Requesting a ballot from another party will result in a provisional, or challenged, ballot that may not be counted.

Voters registered as independent, unaffiliated, or with another designation may choose from the Democratic, Non-Partisan, or Mountain Party ballot, if available.

Beginning with the 2026 election cycle, the West Virginia Republican Executive Committee no longer permits independent or unaffiliated voters to request a Republican ballot during the Primary Election.

Voters who are independent or unaffiliated must request an available party ballot from the poll worker when checking in. Poll workers cannot ask which party ballot you want. If you do not request a party ballot, you will receive the Non-Partisan ballot, which contains only Non-Partisan races.

Does My Political Party Affiliation Matter in the General Election?

No. Your political party affiliation does not affect your ballot in the General Election. All voters receive the same ballot.

How Can I Contact Local Political Parties?

Local political parties do not maintain headquarters throughout the year. You can find contact information and additional resources through their websites.

How Can I Contact Members of the Legislature?

Jefferson County is represented by the 16th Senatorial District and four House of Delegates districts: the 97th, 98th, 99th, and 100th.

Visit the West Virginia Legislature website to find current members and contact information.

Where Can I Find Past Election Results?

Election results dating from 2004 to the present are available through the County’s election results resource.

Where Can I Find Information About Statewide Candidates and Elections?

The West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office provides information about statewide candidates, election dates, voting procedures, and election results.