West Virginia Begins Post‑Election Canvass with Hand‑Count Checks in Three Close Races
West Virginia’s post‑election canvass starts Monday, requiring hand‑counts in at least 3% of districts. Three legislative races are within five votes, and counties must certify results by June 11 if no recount is ordered.
“Westward the course of empire takes its way,” a mural painted in the United States Capitol Building depicting manifest destiny.
TL;DR **Starting Monday, West Virginia counties will hand‑count ballots in at least 3% of districts to verify electronic results, while three legislative races remain within five votes. Counties that do not order a recount must submit certified results to the Secretary of State by June 11.
Context
The state law requires a formal canvass five days after Election Day, excluding Sundays. County commissioners, serving as the Board of Canvassers, will review election night returns, absentee ballots, and provisional ballots for each precinct.
As part of the canvass, officials will conduct a manual tally in at least three percent of districts and compare it to the machine totals.
After the canvass, candidates may post a bond and request a recount. The recount period does not close until the county certifies its results, which can happen no sooner than 48 hours after the canvass finishes. In multi‑county districts, the deadline waits for the last county to certify.
Key Facts
The hand‑count sample covers at least 3% of voting districts statewide. If the manual tally differs from the electronic count by one percent or more, or if any race outcome changes, the entire county must be counted by hand.
Three legislative contests were decided by five votes or fewer, leaving their results subject to change during the canvass or a potential recount.
Counties that do not conduct a recount have until June 11—30 days after Election Day—to transmit their certified results to the Secretary of State.
What It Means
The canvass provides a safeguard against machine error and gives candidates a narrow window to request a recount if margins stay tight. Because the three close races could shift, parties may monitor the hand‑count results closely before deciding whether to post a bond and demand a full recount. If no recount is ordered, the June 11 deadline will finalize the unofficial tallies and send them to the state office.
What to watch next: whether any of the three districts trigger a full hand‑count after the initial sample, and how quickly counties meet the certification deadline.
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