MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Early voting in Morgantown runs through April 22, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Morgantown city councilor from the Sixth Ward, Dave Harshbarger, said the early voting location is at the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park at 118 Garrett Street on the banks of the Monongahela River.
“It’s open through this week, closed Sunday,” Harshbarger said. “Then through next week through Saturday, April 22, the last early voting day.”
This year, the city opted to add an election notification to the bills of Morgantown Utility Board customers in an effort to reach every potential voter.
“That was a new effort to try to raise awareness,” Harshbarger said. “Sometimes we hear that people who don’t get the newspaper, don’t listen to the radio, don’t look at signs downtown ask, How do I know? So this was a way to try to reach everybody.”
The city will add signage in downtown and the Wharf District for the April “In Bloom” Art Walk on April 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. downtown and on Saturday, April 22, for the Handmade Market Art Walk in the Wharf District from noon to 5 p.m. Harshbarger said it’s another new effort to get the word out while people are already downtown and the polls are open.
“We’re going to have some signage and really try to encourage people that are at these events to just walk up to the train depot and vote—it’s just that easy,” Harshbarger said.
Voter turnout for the 2021 municipal election in Morgantown was 7.8 percent, compared to more than 43 percent turnout for the 2022 November general election. Harshbarger wants to see that gap close with more participation from the public.
“I feel like it’s our duty as citizens to practice voting, which is probably our most basic freedom,” Harshbarger said. “I know I will, and I hope others get out there and do it.”