MORGANTOWN — Coming off back-to-back municipal elections in which less than 9% of the city’s registered voters chose to participate, low voter turnout has become a regular election season subplot.
And if voter registration numbers are any indication, the city has a hill to climb to buck that trend come April 25.
Based on numbers from January, the city had 13,487 registered voters. That’s 5,759 fewer than the 19,246 voters registered for the 2021 election — an election that saw 1,517 or 7.88% of that number actually go to the polls.
For perspective, that would be the lowest number of registered voters since 1999 and would constitute a two-year reduction comparable to the number of votes cast in the last three city elections combined.
On the other hand, the number of registered voters isn’t really a predictor of election turnout.
For example, the city only had 10,661 registered voters in 1991, about 30% of whom (3,110) voted.
Far more telling is the election itself.
In 1999, 339 voters, or 2.54% of those registered, cast a ballot in an election with no contested races. Discussion heading into April of that year centered around whether the city was obligated to spend the money to hold an election at all.
That scenario repeated itself in 2007, when 225, or 1.62% of voters, turned up for seven uncontested races.
This time around there’s some cause for concern beyond low voter registration numbers. This will be the first election in which only a portion of the seven council seats — 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th — will be up for consideration.
In 2021, the city’s voters passed a referendum doubling term lengths from two to four years and staggering elections so that no more than four councilors are up for election at once.
The fear is that voters in the 2nd, 4th and 6th wards will think they need to sit this one out.
“I know that there’s a common question among folks because we only have the odd-numbered wards up for election. Some of our voters were worried that because they don’t live in one, three, five or seven that they couldn’t vote,” City Clerk Christine Wade said. “Everyone in the city who is registered to vote can vote in the election.”
With flagging voter turnout numbers, the idea of moving the city’s standalone election in line with county/state/federal elections has again picked up steam.
Of the seven candidates up for election, all but one have indicated outright support for moving the election or at least a desire to have that conversation.
James Giuliani (1st), Louise “Weezie” Michael (3rd), Marly Ynigues (5th) and Brian Butcher (7th) told The Dominion Post they would like to see the election moved in line with the general election.
Ben Mayle (7th) said he would like to see the election moved and changed so that voters only vote for their ward’s representative.
Danielle Trumble (5th) said she would support having the conversation, but would like council to also consider going to ward-specific voting if the election is moved.
Joe Abu-Ghannam (1st) said he’s troubled by low voter turnout but likes the city’s standalone election process.
Early voting for Morgantown’s 2023 municipal election begins Wednesday and runs through April 22 in one location, the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park, 185 Garrett St.
Tuesday is the deadline for write-in candidates to file with Wade’s office.
Election Day is April 25.
The candidates are:
1st Ward — Joe Abu-Ghannam (incumbent); James Giuliani
3rd Ward — Louise “Weezie” Michael
5th Ward — Danielle Trumble (incumbent); Marly Ynigues
7th Ward — Brian Butcher (incumbent); Ben Mayle
Polling locations (and precincts) are: Mountaineer Mall (1); Morgantown High School auditorium lobby (2A, 2B); First Presbyterian Church (10); Morgantown Municipal Airport (13, 31); BOPARC Senior Center (16); Research Ridge Business Park (23); Suncrest United Methodist Church (26); Sabraton Hill Baptist Church (30).
Past participation
City turnout since 2001 by election, including registered voters, (total votes) and turnout percentage:
2001 — 14,336 (2,292) 15.99%
2003 — 14,747 (3,629) 24.61%
2005 — 14,144 (1,403) 9.92%
2007 — 13,900 (225) 1.62%
2009 — 16,106 (1,467) 9.11%
2011 — 16,621 (3,699) 22.25%
2013 — 16,622 (2,094) 12.60%
2015 — 17,107 (1,540) 9%
2017 — 18,076 (2,724) 15.07%
2019 — 18,365 (1,642) 8.94%
2021 — 19,246 (1,517) 7.88%
