UPDATED: Primary election date, deadlines change with executive order

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Governor Jim Justice has moved the primary election from May 12 to June 9 by executive order due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mon County Clerk Carye Blaney says absentee ballot applications will be mailed to voters by the second week of April.

“I think there is some confusion among the voters because they hear so many different things,”Blaney said,”They are expecting just to receive a ballot in the mail and that is not what is occurring”

Blaney says there was intense interest in absentee voting even before the delay was announced, now they expect even more.

“We have already received applications for 550 ballots,”Blaney said,’And we expect that to increase in numbers.”

Blaney says will make sure every voter in the county has the opportunity to vote by absentee ballot or in person.

“The reason why there is an application process is because before we ever mail a ballot to a voter, our office has verified they are duly qualified voter and entitled to receive that ballot,”Blaney said,”This is not a vote by mail process.”

Blaney says this election has tested her staff like no other.

“We have never had such an enormous amount of absentee ballots, but we will handle them in the same fashion that we have handled all of our other absentee ballots. That process isn’t changing,”Blaney said,”The only thing is, it may delay us on election night.”

Balney says as in years past early voting and absentee ballot totals will be released prior to the time the polls close on election day.

Because of the order the following deadlines are changing:

  1. May 20 Last day to register or update your voter registration
  2. The early voting period will be from May 27 to June 6
  3. The last day to request an absentee ballot is June 3
  4. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by midnight June 9