Wood County ready for start of early voting

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Wednesday is the first day West Virginia registered voters can cast in-person ballots for the November general election, as early voting gets under way in West Virginia.

The Wood County clerk’s office, as of right now, has enough poll workers for both early voting and election day.

The West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, with guidelines established by the Department of Health and Human Resources, requires voters to practice social distancing at polling places.

It also requires poll workers to be supplied with-and wear-personal protective equipment.

County Clerk Mark Rhodes is accomodating those who cannot wear masks.

“We have a couple of poll workers who have medical conditions, who cannot wear a mask because of their breathing," Rhodes said. "We’re providing face shields, and I think everyone so far has said they can wear face shields instead of face masks. So we have provided that for all of the poll workers.”

So far, more than 4,600 absentee, mail-in, ballots have been returned to the clerk’s office. In past elections, 800 were cast, Rhodes says.

Rhodes says ballots sent voters are entered into the office’s computer system once they are received, and voters can track them through the secretary of state’s website.

October 28 is the deadline to request an absentee ballot in West Virginia.

Early voting will be held from October 21-31, with the exception of Sunday, at the Donald F. Black annex on Market Street in downtown Parkersburg.

Sites are also set up at the Vienna Community Building, at 1605 34th Street in Vienna, the old Williamstown Elementary School, at 418 Williams Avenue in Williamstown, and at the Mineral Wells and Blennerhassett volunteer fire departments.

Early voting hours at all locations are Monday through Friday from 8:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M., and Saturdays from 9 A.M.-5 P.M.

Early voting also continues in Ohio through November 2, the day before election day. In Washington County, it’s at the board of elections office in Marietta.

You can find the locations and hours for early voting in both states-as well as absentee ballot information-at the “Hot Button” on our home page.

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