Amid bad weather and office closures, Secretary of State Warner issues advice to possible candidates for May Primary Election

Charleston, W.Va. - "Please don't wait until the last minute to file your candidate Certificate of Announcement," is the message that WV Secretary of State Kris Warner is sending loud and clear to citizens who are considering running for office in West Virginia's Primary Election scheduled for May 12. The same goes for county and local races in the state's 55 counties.

The deadline to become a candidate for statewide or judicial (other than magistrate) office is 11:59pm on Saturday, January 31. Those candidates are able to file in person at the WVSOS office at the State Capitol, or either regional offices in Clarksburg and Martinsburg.

Candidates for a county office have until noon on Saturday, January 31, to file with the County Clerk at the county courthouse, and candidates for municipal office have until the close of business on Friday, January 30, to file at the town hall or city building.

More information on who has to file, where, and for what offices, can be found at GoVoteWV.com​.

The recent weather has closed roads, businesses, and some in-person services at government agencies. Warner said that candidates who are waiting to file in person may want to consider mailing their Certificates of Announcement with the proper filing fee using the U.S. Postal Service, but to do so promptly to avoid potential delays.

"With the seriousness of the weather, candidates should consider all of their options to be sure that they file before the deadline," said Secretary Warner. "And if they use the U.S. Mail, they should probably mail their forms and fees no later than this coming Wednesday."

Warner advised that mail dropped off at a post office one day may not be postmarked by the USPS on that day. He advised candidates to visit a post office while it is open and a postal worker is present to affix a postmark manually while the candidate is there. Candidate filings postmarked after January 31, or those with the wrong filing fee, cannot be accepted by law.

Candidates seeking more information should contact the WVSOS Elections Division at (304) 558-6000.