Voters & Political Party Affiliation

Registering With a Party Affiliation

When you register to vote in West Virginia, you may indicate a political party choice on the application to register, or you may check "No Party Affiliation." 

• If the party you prefer is listed, you may check the box beside that name and you will registered in that party.
• If the party your prefer is not listed, you may enter another party name on the line next to "Other Party." It is permissible to enter the name of any political party, regardless of whether the party is active in West Virginia.
• If you do not want to be associated with any political party, checking "No Party Affiliation" will make your registration independent of all parties.

What Difference Does it Make?

The important thing to remember is that your choice will affect your options for voting for partisan candidates in the Primary Election, when parties make their nominations.  Also, if you ever decide to run for office, you may only file for nomination in a party in which you are registered.  

West Virginia has a "closed" primary, which means that people registered in one party cannot vote for candidates in another party.  At the Primary Election, if you have listed a party choice on your voter registration, you will be given the ballot of that party.  You will not have the right to receive the ballot of a different party.

If you register with no party affiliation, you will be given a non-partisan ballot (for Board of Education and any issues on the ballot) in the Primary Election.   The political parties have the right to decide who may participate in their nominating processes.  The Republican, Mountain or  Democratic Party allow any voter who is not registered with an official party to vote in their Primary Election.

What About the General Election?

Party affiliation makes no difference at all to voters in the General Election.  Every registered voter receives the same ballot, and they may vote for any candidate they choose of any party for each office on the ballot.

Changing Party Affiliation

Voters --  A voter may change party affiliation by submitting a voter registration form showing the change to the County Clerk.  The registration change must be made at least 21 days before the Primary Election in order to vote in the new party at the polls in the Primary Election.  If the change is made later, it will apply at the next Primary Election.

Candidates -- A candidate may not switch from one political party to another less than 60 days before filing for nomination as a candidate of the new party.  That restriction does not apply to candidates with no party affiliation who file a change of registration to select a party shortly before filing for office.