Vote in Morgantown’s Election on Tuesday, April 27
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Check your voting status. Find your local polling place. Get common sense voting recommendations.
Polls Open In
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Absentee Requests
Early Voters as of 4/26/21
Please vote for all common sense candidates
Vote No Charter Change
Key Points to Remember
No money will be saved by this Charter change: Elections will still be held every two years (Wards 1, 3, 5) followed by another election (Wards 2, 4, 6).
Voter interest may be negatively impacted by this Charter change: With only 11% average turnout now, shouldn’t we be finding ways to improve turnout?
Why does the charter amendment matter?
Morgantown voters will cast ballots on a referendum to change council members’ term of office on Tuesday, April 24.
Presently, all seven city council members are elected every two years. If changed, those two-year concurrent terms will become four-year staggered terms.
Voters’ ability to hold all legislators accountable will be reduced by staggered four-year terms. Taxpayers’ money won’t be saved because elections will still be held every two years. Most critically at risk is civic interest and voter participation. If split and staggered, there’s strong evidence to hypothesize Morgantown’s paltry average voter turnout, which has averaged around 11% in recent years, will become a shadow of its former self.
VOTE NO to the proposed charter amendment.
Other West Virginia Cities
Differences between Beckley, Charleston, Clarksburg & Morgantown
Here is a bit of information about what makes the body politic different in Beckley, Charleston, Clarksburg from Morgantown. Many factors attract or detract interest in local elections.
Beckley
Nonpartisan elections
No person shall be eligible to the office of mayor or councilman unless at the time of his election he is legally entitled to vote in the city election for member of the common council; and he was for the preceding year assessed with taxes upon real or personal property within the said city of the assessed aggregate value of at least three hundred dollars ($300.00) and shall actually have paid the taxes so assessed.
- Directly elects mayor
- $10 filing fee to run for Council; $15 fee to run for Mayor
- Features at-large and ward-based representation
- Allows for between 5-9 wards
- 1 councilor per ward and 2 at-large councilors
- Council nominates and appoints city manager
Charleston
Partisan elections
To qualify to run for office a person must has been assessed with and paid taxes in the City of Charleston upon a valuation of at least one hundred dollars worth of real estate or personal property therein for the preceding year.
- Directly elects mayor
- Nominations of candidates for Council and Mayor run by convention, primary election, or by political parties
- Features at-large and ward-based representation
- Has 20 wards
- 20 councilors and 6 at-large councilors
- Council nominates and appoints city manager
Clarksburg
Nonpartisan elections
To run for office must have resided in Clarksburg for 30 days and pay a $50 filing fee.
- Council elects mayor
- Features at-large representation
- Has no wards
- 7 councilors
- Council nominates and appoints city manager
What’s it cost to run municipal elections in West Virginia?
2018-2019 Actual Budgets
- Clendenin – $7,993
- Clarksburg – $11,755
- Elkins – $11,135
2019-2020 Actual Budgets
- Beckley – $38,000
- Morgantown – $31,307
- Wheeling – $12,405* listed as a “fund” unclear whether it’s inclusive of costs or a transfer to another line for purposes of elections.
Find Your Polling Place
Precinct 1 Polling Place Location
228 South High Street
Morgantown, WV 26501
Handicap Accessible
Precincts 2A & 2B Polling Place Location
Morgantown High School Auditorium Lobby
109 Wilson Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
Handicap Accessible
Precinct 10 Polling Place Location
BOPARC Senior Community Center
287 Eureka Drive
Morgantown, WV 26505
Handicap Accessible
Precinct 13 Polling Place Location
456 Spruce Street
Morgantown, WV 26505
Handicap Accessible
Precinct 16 Polling Place Location
BOPARC Senior Community Center
287 Eureka Drive
Morgantown, WV 26505
Handicap Accessible
Precinct 23 Polling Place Location
Suncrest United Methodist Church
479 Van Voorhis Road
Morgantown, WV 26505
Handicap Accessible
Precinct 26 Polling Place Location
1000 Van Voorhis Road
Morgantown, WV 26505
Handicap Accessible