by Kate Shunney
Registered voters in West Virginia can begin casting ballots in the 2024 presidential election starting Wednesday, October 23 as the state opens access to early voting. In Morgan County, voters can vote early at the Morgan County Clerk’s office on the first floor of the County Courthouse between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from October 23 through Saturday, November 2 at 5 p.m. Voting machines will also be accessible on both Saturdays – October 26 and November 2 – from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Precinct voting in the election takes place across Morgan County at 13 polling places on Tuesday, November 5.
On the ballot during the election are offices from top to bottom – from U.S. President to county positions.
Who’s running for what?
Candidates for U.S. President on the West Virginia ballot include current Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former president Donald Trump, Republican. Third-party candidates for president include Independent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Libertarian Chase Oliver and Mountain Party candidate Jill Stein.
Running for U.S. Senate representing West Virginia, in a race to replace U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, are Democrat Glenn Elliot; Republican Jim Justice, the current governor of the state and Libertarian David Moran.
Candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional District 2, which includes Morgan County, are Republican Riley Moore and Democrat Steve Wendelin.
State offices
There are five candidates for Governor of West Virginia, seeking to replace outgoing governor Jim Justice. They are Libertarian Erika Klie Kolenich, Mountain Party candidate Chase Linko-Looper, Republican Patrick Morrisey, Democrat Steve Williams and Constitution Party candidate S. Marshall Wilson.
In a race for West Virginia Secretary of State to replace outgoing secretary Mac Warner, there are two candidates – Democrat Thornton Cooper and Republican Kris Warner.
Two candidates are seeking the office of State Auditor – Republican Mark Hunt and Democrat Mary Ann Roebuck Claytor.
Republican Larry Pack has no challenger in his campaign to be election the State Treasurer.
Two are seeking the office of West Virginia’s Commissioner of Agriculture – incumbent Kent Leonhardt, a Republican, and Democrat Deborah Stiles.
The race to become West Virginia’s next Attorney General is between Republican John “JB” McCuskey and Democrat Teresa Toriseva. The winner will fill a post left vacant by Patrick Morrisey’s gubernatorial campaign.
District races
Local voters will elect a State Senator representing the 15th senatorial district, which includes Morgan County. Democrat Anthony Murray of Capon Bridge is running against Republican Thomas Willis of Martinsburg. The winner of that race will fill a position currently held by longtime State Senator Craig Blair, a Republican.
Two positions in the West Virginia House of Delegates are on the ballot locally. Morgan County residents in the western and some parts of the southern portion of the county, along with voters in Hampshire County, will choose a delegate representing the 89th district. Candidates for that seat include Democrat Alyson Reeves of Levels and Republican Darren Thorne of Romney.
Seeking another term in the House of Delegates representing the 90th district, including most of Morgan County and a small portion of western Berkeley County, is incumbent George Miller, a Republican. Miller is unopposed in his re-election bid.
Morgan County offices
County-level elected offices are all being sought by candidates who are unopposed in their races.
Incumbent Morgan County Commissioner Sean Forney, a Republican, is seeking another six-year term in office.
Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney Dan James, a Republican, is seeking another four-year term in his position.
Morgan County Assessor Debbie Weaver is seeking another four-year term of office. Weaver is a Republican.
Morgan County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Johnnie Walter, a Republican, is unopposed is his bid to become Morgan County’s next Sheriff, replacing outgoing boss K.C. Bohrer.
A sample ballot is published in this edition of The Morgan Messenger and will appear again in the October 30 issue of the paper.
