MORGANTOWN – Monongalia County ranked second for early voting turnout as of Thursday, according to a table provided by the secretary of state.
Mon had seen 8,034 voters turn out by Thursday at its three early voting locations – second to Kanawha’s 10,807. Mon County Clerk Carye Blaney said Friday afternoon that the count climbed to 11,766.
“Our early voting turnout is almost three times what we did for the previous midterm election in 2014,” she said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean we will have an overall higher voter turnout, it just means that more voters who would typically vote on Election Day are choosing to vote early.”
Mon’s early voting turnout in the 2014 general election (the midterm Blaney referenced) was 5,003; for the 2016 general, 20,735; the 2018 primary, 4,344, Blaney said.
The secretary of state’s table showed that Preston ranked 19th, with 1,765; Marion was 13th, with 2,756.
The statewide total was 115,172.
Secretary of State Mac Warner commented in a release, “We have been very pleased with the progress of early voting and the detailed preparations taking place for Election Day by the county clerks and the professionals in their offices.”
Early voting continues through Saturday. Mon locations are at the Mountaineer Mall, the Westover Community Building and Mason Dixon Park. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On the secretary’s chart, breaking down Mon’s turnout by party, 4,138 Democrats had voted early; 2,512 Republicans; 23 Libertarians; nine Mountain Party; 1,225 with no party affiliation; and 127 “other.”
Preston saw 540 Democrats, 901 Republicans, six Libertarians, 228 no party, 90 other and zero Mountain Party.
Marion saw 1,612 Democrats, 668 Republicans, eight Libertarians, two Mountain Party, 176 no party and 290 other.
Statewide, the count was 51,016 Democrats, 43,204 Republicans, 245 Libertarians, 82 Mountain Party, 16,000 no party and 4,625 other.
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