PARKERSBURG - Turnout from Tuesday's primary election was 27.72 percent.
There were 54,157 Wood Countians registered to vote in the primary; 20,872 Democrats; 21,521 Republicans; 38 Mountain Party; 11,299 no party affiliation; 427 other.
According to the secretary of state's office, there are 1,226,545 eligible voters in West Virginia. 640,888 (52.25 percent) registered Democrat; 352,304 (28.72 percent) Republicans; 1,286 (0.10 percent) Mountain Party, and 210,562 (17.17 percent) no party affiliation. There are 21,505 (1.75 percent) registered with another political party.
Article Photos
Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch, center, talks with Wood County Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Harold Brown, left, and Republican Executive Committee Chairman Greg Smith Tuesday in the Commission chambers as election results were tallied. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)
The voter turnout percentage for the Democrats was 33.16 percent; for the Republicans, 36.94 and nonpartisan was 1.14 percent.
Early voters numbered 3,730. Early voting was held April 25-May 5. Wood County Clerk Jamie Six reported 2,566 voted at the Judge Black Courthouse Annex early vote precinct, which was opened for 10 days. There were 417 voters at the Vienna city building community vote site location; 322 cast ballots at the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department; 1,235 at the Williamstown City Building early vote precinct and 190 at the Mineral Wells VFD. This was the first year the county offered community early vote sites. The new community vote sites were open May 1-5. This was the first year the community vote sites were offered in addition to the annex early voting precinct.
Candidates, their supporters, friends and family, local politicos and others interested in watching the election outcome gathered at the Wood County Courthouse Tuesday evening to read the totals as they came out.
Six said there were a few of the usual snags Tuesday, but no major problems.
"We had the usual typical printer problems; some jamups here and there. At Parkersburg High School this morning one of the iVotronics would not come on, dead on arrival, we changed it out, no big deal. We had another machine go bad during the day, with 16 votes on it. We were able to upload those onto a flash card and replace that machine," Six said.
The clerk said the paper trail is the official ballot, so it is the saving grace if all else fails.
There were a little more than 100 absentee ballots turned in, the clerk said.
Election night results are not official until after they are certified following a canvass by the Wood County Commission. The commissioners are scheduled to begin their canvass, ruling on challenged ballots and overseeing a handcount of four precincts beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. If the canvass is not completed Monday, they will reconvene Tuesday to complete the task. The canvass will be conducted outside the voter registration office on the fourth floor of the courthouse.
Overruling a challenged ballot means the votes will be counted, if a challenge is sustained, the ballot is not counted. Absentee ballots received by the start of the canvass are also counted in the totals.
Once the commission completes the canvass, a 48-hour time clock begins during which a recount can be requested. If no request is filed, election results can then be certified.
