West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – WV Secretary of State Mac Warner is reminding citizens interested in running for public office that Saturday, January 27, is the last day to file a Statement of Candidacy for the Primary Election.
The Primary Election is a preliminary election to nominate candidates of political parties for the corresponding General Election. In addition, non-partisan offices, like judicial offices, are elected in the Primary Election. Candidates seeking nomination for the General Election by convention or by petition have until August 1, 2024 to submit the required materials to the appropriate filing officer. The deadline to file as a write-in candidate for non-partisan offices in the Primary Election is March 26, 2024, and the deadline to file as a write-in candidate for the General Election is September 17, 2024. More information may be found in the Running for Office Guide.
Candidacy announcements for statewide offices, congressional offices, judicial positions, and offices spanning more than one county must be filed by the deadline with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Candidates for local offices, including Magistrates, must file with their local county clerk.
A listing of all candidates who have filed to run in the 2024 Primary Election can be found here. As no party candidates, write-in candidates, and candidates nominated by convention file, their listing will be linked on this page.
The WV Secretary of State’s Offices in Charleston, Clarksburg, and Martinsburg will be open until midnight on Saturday. County Clerks’ offices will be open on Saturday from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Candidates may also mail their Certificates of Announcement but must ensure the information in the Certificate is correct, notarized, includes the correct filing fee, and is postmarked on or before January 27. Incorrect Certificates of Announcement, incorrect filing fees, and late Certificates cannot be accepted by law.
Secretary Warner released this video today to remind voters of the Saturday deadline.
Information pertaining to the Primary Election can be found at GoVoteWV.com.
