by Kate Shunney
Registered West Virginia voters continue casting ballots in the state’s non-partisan and primary election during this final week of early voting, which ends on Saturday, May 9.
Eligible Morgan Countians can vote early in person at the Morgan County Courthouse on the first floor in the County Clerk’s office through Saturday.
In-person voting at the county’s 13 precincts will take place on Primary Election Day, Tuesday, May 12. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. that day.
Voters are being instructed to bring their photo identification to the polls in order to cast ballots.
County voter party snapshot
According to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, as of April 23, 2026, Morgan County had 14,032 registered voters.
Of those voters, 7,558 are registered as members of the Republican party. That accounts for 54% of the voter rolls.
Another 4,164 voters are registered as “No Party” without a party affiliation. That accounts for 30% of the county’s voter rolls.
Those registered as Democrats number 1,917 voters, just 14% of the county’s voters.
Another 138 voters are registered here as members of the Libertarian Party, one as a Constitution Party voter, 54 Mountain Party voters and 199 voters listed as “Other” party members.
Party affiliation matters more this election, as the West Virginia GOP opted to close their primary to any voters except those registered as Republicans.
Previously, Independent or unaffiliated voters could request a Republican ballot in the primary. This year, those who are Independent or unaffiliated can choose a Democratic ballot, a Mountain Party ballot or will be given a Non-Partisan ballot with only judicial and school board races.
What’s on the
non-partisan ballot?
Non-partisan issues and races on all ballots include the renewal of Morgan County Schools’ Excess Levy for four additional years, a race for three seats on the Morgan County Board of Education and a variety of judicial offices plus the Eastern Panhandle Conservation District Supervisor. All of these are not party-specific and are races and issues that will be decided in the May 12 primary, rather than the General Election in November.
School Excess Levy renewal
Morgan County school officials are asking county residents to renew an existing special school tax that accounts for 18% of the annual school system budget.
The special levy appears on local tax bills. For owner-occupied, Class II homes and land, the tax is 32.16 cents per $100 of assessed value on the property. For a home assessed at a value of $150,000, the excess levy amounts to $289.44 per year of the overall tax bill. Those owning Class III or commercial properties will pay 64.32 cents per $100 value under the levy rate as it is.
The ballot breaks down what the levy funds. Of $5,560,000 expected to be collected under the special school levy, it is earmarked this way:
–$2,558,052 for local salary enhancements and benefits over the state minimum,
–$1,557,932 for critical education programs like alternative education, remediation programs, social and emotion support, extracurricular activities for students and vocational programs,
–$500,000 for security upgrades and maintenance at county schools,
–$370,000 for capital improvements,
–$125,000 for technology devices and software,
–$400,000 for instructional materials, textbooks and equipment,
–$50,000 for support of Morgan County Public Libraries in Berkeley Springs and Paw Paw.
School board
Three seats are up for election on the Morgan County Board of Education. Incumbents Laura Smith and one-term board member Justin Litten are seeking re-election to another four years on the board. Board president Aaron Close is not seeking re-election so his seat is available as well.
Running for these three seats are:
Laura Smith (District 1)
Pam Hessler (District 4)
Justin Litten (District 2)
Alice Lantz (District 4)
Laurie Dieffenbach (District 3)
Ronnie Stotler (District 5)
John Kannofsky (District 2)
Because of the makeup of the board and district rules, voters must pay attention to the district attached to each candidate.
Voters can choose no more than two candidates from District 1, no more than one candidate from District 2, no more than two candidates from District 3, no more than one candidate from District 4 and no more than two candidates from District 5. County ballots remind voters of these limits as they review their selections.
Voters will select a total of three candidates for the school board.
Conservation Supervisor
Two candidates are seeking one position as an Eastern Panhandle Conservation District Supervisor – Adam Cook and Nelson Jacobsen, both of Berkeley Springs.
Judicial Offices
Judges from the top of West Virginia’s judicial system down to county magistrates are on the primary non-partisan ballot.
Voters will choose a Justice for the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia to serve out the remainder of an unexpired six-year term from a former justice. Seeking this office are Todd Kirby of Beckley, Martin Sheehan of Wheeling, Gerald Titus of Charleston, Laura Faircloth of Martinsburg and H.L. Kirkpatrick of Beckley.
Voters will choose a second Justice for the Supreme Court to serve out an unexpired two-year term. Seeking this office are Tom Ewing of Edmond and Bill Flanigan of Wheeling.
Voters will choose a judge for the Intermediate Court of Appeals for Division 1. Seeking this office is Dan Greear of South Charleston and Jim Douglas of Charleston.
Morgan County voters will also choose a Magistrate for Division 2 to serve out the unexpired term of K.C. Bohrer who resigned from the post two years ago. Seeking the seat on the bench are incumbent appointee Vince Shambaugh and Berkeley Springs resident Michael Sullivan.
Judicial officers who win during this non-partisan election will take the bench.
Party primaries
Morgan County voters will choose a Republican and Democrat during the primary election to be on the ballot in November running for a six-year term as a Morgan County Commissioner.
Republican incumbent Joel Tuttle is being challenged by Berkeley Springs businesswoman Priscilla Jones in the GOP primary.
Democrat Judith Shumate is unopposed on her party’s primary ballot and will face off against the GOP primary winner in the general election in November.
On the State ballot, voters will choose from among three Republican candidates seeking a seat in the West Virginia Senate representing the 15th district. Incumbent appointee Darren Thorne of Romney is being challenged by Berkeley Springs businessman Ken Reed and teacher Robert Wolford of Points in the GOP primary.
On the Democratic ballot, Berkeley Springs resident Elizabeth Ferris is unopposed in her race to be on the November ballot seeking the State Senate post.
In a busy race for the House of Delegates, local voters will choose from among four Republican candidates and one Democrat seeking a seat representing the 90th district, which includes most of Morgan County and some of Berkeley County. GOP candidates include incumbent George Miller of Berkeley Springs, local doctor Kevin McLaughlin of Berkeley Springs, Hedgesville pastor Dan Caldwell and Hedgesville resident Davy Jones. Hedgesville barber and salonist Ashley Braner is unopposed on the Democratic ballot to reach the November general election.
In a race for the House of Delegates in the 89th district, incumbent appointee David Cannon of Romney is unopposed in the GOP primary. On the Democratic ballot, voters in the 89th district will choose from between JR Hepworth of Paw Paw and John Zupan of Great Cacapon to place on the November ballot.
Voters in our region will also choose a representative in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 2nd congressional district. Incumbent Republican Riley Moore is unopposed in his re-election bid on the GOP ballot.
Democrats will choose from among three congressional candidates vying to be on the November ballot. Steven Wendelin of Lost City, Stephanie Spears Tomana of Idamay and Ace Parsi of Morgantown are all seeking their party’s nomination for the general election.
At the top of the national ticket, a race for U.S. Senate representing West Virginia offers voters a multitude of choices in both party primaries.
On the GOP ticket, incumbent U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito is being challenged by five Republicans – Janet McAnulty of Martinsburg, Bryan McKinney of Inwood, Tom Willis of Martinsburg, David Purkey of Fairmont and Alexander Gaaserud of Parkersburg.
On the Democratic ballot, five candidates are seeking their party’s nomination to the general election. They include Zachary Shrewsbury of Princeton, Rachel Fetty Anderson of Morgantown, Jeffrey Kessler of Glen Dale, Rio Phillips of Charleston and Thornton Cooper of South Charleston.
Voters in each party will also pick members of their Executive Committees.
Morgan County’s voting takes place in polling locations around the county, primarily in public schools. Voters with questions about their polling place or other election questions can contact the Morgan County Clerk’s office at 304-258-8547.
