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PARKERSBURG -- People will need to inquire with the Wood County Clerk's Office if they want to apply to vote by absentee ballot in November, county officials said Thursday.
County Clerk Mark Rhodes appeared before the County Commission to discuss preparations for the general election scheduled for Nov. 3.
Rhodes said they have already had around 500 inquiries from residents interested in voting by absentee ballot in November.
"We cannot mail out (the applications) out until Aug. 11," he said. "Anyone who calls us, we are taking their name and getting everything ready so we can send it out on Aug. 11."
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic remains a concern for many people, officials said. During the primary election in June, many people opted to vote by absentee ballot due to those health concerns.
Commission President Blair Couch asked Rhodes if people can say they have health concerns in applying for an absentee ballot.
"The first reason on the form is 'medical,"' Rhodes said. "That is a catchall phrase. We do not ask for a doctor's excuse, unless you are asking to be a part of the permanent absentee."
That covers people who have a doctor's excuse saying they cannot leave their residence, he said. Only 17-18 of those are in the county, he said.
Couch said he would anticipate more people checking off "medical" as a reason for wanting to vote absentee.
Before the primary, all registered voters were mailed an application to vote by absentee, with a box that dealt with "Medical-COVID" as a reason, Rhodes said.
He does not believe that will happen this time for the general election.
Couch asked if people who voted by absentee in the primary will receive a notice.
"The law is the voter has to initiate," Rhodes said.
People interested in absentee voting will have to take it upon themselves to contact the county clerk's office, Rhodes said.
The process during the primary election does not carry over to the general election, Couch said.
"They will have to stand on their own two feet," he said.
"You have to apply for every election," Rhodes said.
Prior to the primary, the state was under a stay-at-home order which prompted Secretary of State Mac Warner and the Attorney General Pat Morrisey to make the determination to mail absentee ballot applications to all registered voters.
"The stay-at-home order has been lifted," Rhodes said.
Couch said the process has become political and he did not think the governor would issue another stay-at-home order that would prompt local officials having to send another application, by mail, like they did.
A larger turnout is anticipated for the general election.
"We are probably looking at closer to a 70 percent turnout than the 33 percent we had in the primary," Rhodes said.
Rhodes hopes they will have enough poll workers to be able to open all of the county's 68 voting precincts.
However, officials were able to utilize the county's five early voting sites as consolidated voting locations for numerous precincts and were able to add a few more prior to primary election day. Officials might have to plan for something similar for the general election, but hope they will be able to have more locations opened.
Letters have been sent to the executive committees for the local Republican and Democratic parties asking for poll workers.
"Once those come back we will start determining things," Rhodes said.
During the primary, a number of the people who had traditionally worked the polls opted out due to health concerns which led to the county having to do consolidated voting sites.
Independent and non-affiliated voters can contact the county clerk's office to work as a poll worker. Each site will have to be evenly represented between the two major parties with others being divided as the need presents itself.
"The November election will be unique," Couch said. "There will be difficulties.
"It is only July and it seems like COVID is rolling back in."
Although West Virginia has remained relatively low, the state has seen an increase in positives over the last 30-60 days, he said.
With a high voter turnout expected in November, Rhodes anticipates they will need to have more precincts open.
"Even if we consolidate some precincts, we are going to have to have more locations open one way or another," he said.
Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com.