About the 2026 Primary Election

The Republican Executive Committee has decided to close the Republican Primary for 2026 and future elections. Because of this, in order to vote in the Republican Primary on May 12, 2026 you must be registered as a Republican with the state of West Virginia.

 

I was against this move because a closed primary locks an entire portion of the voting public out of the electoral process and gives people the illusion of choice in the general election where you get the career politician / want-to-be career politician on both sides. This move was done so that the more conservative wing of the party could ensure that their chosen candidate has a better chance of winning and done out of fear, the fear that the voting public might choose someone they do not like.

 

To restate: if you are an Independent or non-party affiliated and there is a candidate in the Republican Primary that you like, you must register as a republican in order to vote for that person in the Republican Primary election. If you are not a registered Republican, you will not be able to vote in the Republican Primary.

 

Democrats, if you are unhappy with the choice of candidates within your primary, but like a particular candidate running in the Republican Primary (or even the Mountaineer and Libertarian Party) you can change your party affiliation so as to vote in that particular primary election, and change it back after the election is over.

 

The primary election is important. It is the only election where you have the biggest pool of candidates to choose from.

 

Recap: to vote in the 2026 Republican Primary you must be a registered Republican.