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Ballot access for presidential candidates
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Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact theirstate election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in West Virginia, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in West Virginia. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Seestate election laws

Year-specific filing information

2026

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 U.S. Congress elections andWest Virginia elections, 2026

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in West Virginia in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in West Virginia, clickhere.

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in West Virginia in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in West Virginia, clickhere.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for West Virginia House of Delegates candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in West Virginia, clickhere.

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for West Virginia State Senate candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in West Virginia, clickhere.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Process to become a candidate

See statutes:Chapter 3, Article 5 of the West Virginia Code

Political party candidates

Before raising money for a campaign, a candidate must file a pre-candidacy registration form. The form must identify a campaign treasurer, who will be responsible for the campaign's financial transactions. A candidate must file a certificate of announcement declaring his or her candidacy with theWest Virginia Secretary of State. The candidate must pay a filing fee, which is calculated as a percentage of the salary of the office sought. The candidate must also file a financial disclosure statement with the West Virginia Ethics Commission within 10 days of filing the certificate of announcement.^[4][5][6]

Independent candidates

An independent candidate must gain authorization to collect petition signatures by obtaining an official credentials form from the county clerk in each county in which the candidate wishes to collect signatures. This form must be presented to each voter canvassed or solicited.^[4][7]

The candidate must obtain a candidate nomination petition at the time of gaining authorization. The candidate must obtain signatures equaling at least 1 percent of the entire vote cast at the last preceding general election for the office being sought (or at least 25 signatures).^[4][8][9]

The candidate must file the certificate of announcement and nominating petition with the appropriate office. An independent candidate must also pay a filing fee (the same as that paid by political party candidates).^[4][10]

Write-in candidates

A write-in candidate must file a certificate of announcement with theWest Virginia Secretary of State. Write-in candidates are not listed on the ballot, but a list of official write-in candidates is posted at each polling place during early voting and on Election Day.^[4]

A write-in candidate is not required to pay a filing fee or collect signatures.^[4]

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators.

Circulation requirements

General petition requirements related to a candidate's place on the ballot are established inChapter 3-5-23 of the West Virginia Code. In particular, circulators must receive from the clerk of the county commission credentials, which must be shown to each voter canvassed or solicited. If the office sought covers more than one county, a separate nominating petition must be used for each county.^[11]

West Virginia permits candidates to begin circulating petitions as early as they wish. The relevant statutes do not stipulate a date on which petitions may begin to circulate.

Election administration agencies

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in West Virginia can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

West Virginia County Clerks

Click here for a list

West Virginia Secretary of State, Elections Division

State Capitol Bldg.

Charleston, West Virginia 25305

Phone: 304-558-6000

Toll free: 866-767-8683

Fax: 304-558-0900

Email:elections@wvsos.gov

Website:http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/pages/default.aspx

West Virginia Ethics Commission

210 Brooks Street, Suite 300

Charleston, West Virginia 25301

Phone: 304-558-0664

Toll free: 866-558-0664

Fax: 304-558-2169

Email:ethics@wv.gov

Website:http://www.ethics.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website:https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

State executives

See also:State executives with term limits andStates with gubernatorial term limits

The state executive term limits inWest Virginia are as follows:

• Thegovernor is subject to a two-consecutive-term limit.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on West Virginia state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also:List of United States Representatives from West Virginia andList of United States Senators from West Virginia

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation fromWest Virginia.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature ofWest Virginia.

West Virginia State Senate

West Virginia House of Representatives

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in West Virginia. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

TheBallot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from ourElection Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 21, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 14, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 7, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 31, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 24, 2025

Subscribe

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in West Virginia
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in West Virginia
• West Virginia elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in West Virginia
• Counties in West Virginia
• List of United States Representatives from West Virginia
• List of United States Senators from West Virginia
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• West Virginia Secretary of State
• West Virginia Ethics Commission
• Federal Election Commission
• Candidate filing forms, from the West Virginia Secretary of State
• West Virginia Secretary of State, "Running for Office Guide 2024"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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