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PARKERSBURG - People throughout Wood County still have time to get registered to vote for the November General Election.
People are still able to register to vote for a few more weeks with the voter registration deadline of October 13.
People can register online, by mail or in person, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office.
To register online, people can go to GoVoteWV.com and click the “register to vote” button. People must have a valid state ID or driver’s license and the last four digits of their Social Security number to register online.
To register by mail, people need to go to GoVotewv.com and click the “register to vote” button. Click the "fill out application online to mail" button to make their own paper application.
To register in person, people need to go to the county clerk's office, the Secretary of State's office, the DMV or any other public assistance offices.
First-time voters must have a valid ID to register to vote, the Secretary of State's office reported.
They must present one of a number of forms to verify their current address, also known as "the first time voter ID, which can include a valid photo ID, a utility bill, a bank statement, a government check, a paycheck and any other official government document.
"This may be presented with your application or the first time you vote," the Secretary of State's office reported. "Those who present a first-time voter ID without a photo at the polls will be asked to provide an additional form of ID with a photo of the voter before voting.
To register to vote in West Virginia, people must be registered at least 21 days before an election, be 17-years-old and 18 by the next general election and be a citizen of the United States and resident of West Virginia.
After registering, people can check their registration status at the “Check Your Voter Registration Record” feature on GoVoteWV.com prior to voting to ensure that all the information is accurate and their registration status is accurate.
"Inactive registrations can be made active at any time," the Secretary of State's Office reported.
People can find their polling location by sharing their name and date of birth on GoVoteWV.com and using the “Find Your Polling Place” button. They can also contact the Wood County Clerk's Office.
If people have questions about registering to vote or their voter registration status as well as where their voting precinct is, they can call the Wood County Clerk's Office at 304-424-1860.
West Virginia voters must show an approved form of photo identification that is valid and not expired at the polls, the Secretary of State's Office reported. If the voter is 65 years of age or older and the ID is expired, it is still acceptable if the document was not expired on their 65th birthday.
On Election Day, the polls will be open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Voters in line by 7:30 pm will be given a “waiting voters permit” that will guarantee them the opportunity to vote after 7:30 pm.
Early Voting will occur from October 21 through October 31 at the Judge Black Annex and October 27 through October 31 at the community voting sites. Registered voters can vote at this time.
The community voting sites will be located at the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department,1349 Harris Highway; the Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department, 1695 Elizabeth Pike; the Vienna Community Building, 1301 34th St., Vienna; and the Williamstown City Building, 100 West 5th St.
The state of West Virginia allows certain eligible voters to request & vote an absentee ballot by mail. More information on absentee voting eligibility can be found at GoVoteWV.com by clicking the “absentee voting button.” People can track their absentee ballot using the online vote tool at GoVoteWV.com.
Absentee Ballot Applications can be done through October 28.
Absentee ballots have to be postmarked by Election Day, personnel in the Wood County Clerk's Office said. It has to be received by the county before the start of the canvassing process the Monday after Election Day.
The personnel warned that just dropping the ballot in the mailbox on Election Day is not a guarantee that it will be postmarked that day so people need to plan accordingly to make sure it is postmarked in time, they said.
West Virginia offers electronic ballot return for Uniformed & Overseas Citizens, voters with physical disabilities who can’t vote in person or independently by mail, and First Responders called away on duty outside of their county during early voting and Election Day. They can get more information about that option at GoVoteWV.com by clicking the “absentee voting button.”
People wanting more information about how to register to vote, their voter registration status, their voting precincts or other voting related questions, can contact the Wood County Clerk's Office at 304-424-1860.