2018 West Virginia elections

2018 West Virginia elections

← 2016 2020 →

Elections in West Virginia
Federal government Presidential elections 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Republican 2000 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1863 1865 1871 1877 1877 sp 1882 1883 1887 1888 1889 1892 1893 1893 sp 1895 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1911 sp 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1936 1940 1942 1942 sp 1946 1948 1952 1954 1956 sp 1958 1958 sp 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2010 sp 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1863 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1883 3rd sp 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1905 2nd sp 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 1st sp 1914 1916 2nd sp 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1933 3rd sp 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1951 5th sp 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 3rd sp 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government General elections 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1863 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2011 sp 2012 2016 2020 2024 Attorney General elections 2012 2016 2020 2024 Secretary of State elections 2012 2016 2020 2024 Auditor elections 2012 2016 2020 2024 Treasurer elections 2012 2016 2020 2024 Senate elections 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Delegates elections 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Local government Charleston (mayoral elections) 2022 Huntington (municipal elections) 2020 2024 Wheeling (municipal elections) 2020 2024
v t e

West Virginia held elections on November 6, 2018. Elections for the United States House and Senate were held as well as two high-profile ballot measures. These elections were held concurrently with other elections nationwide. Primary elections were held on May 8, 2018.

In District 1, Republican incumbent David McKinley won reelection with 64.6% of the vote, defeating Democratic challenger Kendra Fershee, a West Virginia University law professor.

In District 2, Republican incumbent Alex Mooney won reelection with 53.9% of the vote, defeating Talley Sergent, a former U.S. State Department official.

In District 3, Republican incumbent Evan Jenkins resigned in September 2018. Democratic state Senator Richard Ojeda challenged Republican Majority Whip of the West Virginia House of Delegates Carol Miller. Miller won with 56.4% of the vote.^[1]

Incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin was ranked by many outlets to be one of the most vulnerable incumbents up for election. His challenger was Attorney General of West Virginia Patrick Morrisey who won a contentious Republican primary. Manchin won the election with 49.6% of the vote against Morrisey's 46.3% vote share. This was much lower than Manchin's previous performance of a vote share 60.6% in 2012.^[2]

17 of the 34 State Senate seats were up for election in 2018. Democrats won a net gain of 2 seats, but Republicans maintained their majority with 20 seats to Democrat's 14. A total of 5 Republican incumbents lost their election, 3 in their primaries and 2 in the general election.^[3]

All 100 seats in the West Virginia House of Delegates were up for election. The Republican majority sustained a net loss of 4 seats, decreasing the majority from 63 to 59. A total of 5 Democrats, 7 Republicans, and 1 Independent incumbents lost reelection in either their primaries or in the general election.^[4]

Amendment 1

No Constitutional right to abortion Amendment
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 295,536 51.73% No 275,738 48.27% Valid votes 571,274 100.00% Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00% Total votes 571,274 100.00%
Results Yes   60–70%   50–60% No   60–70%   50–60%

"No Constitutional right to abortion Amendment"

To amend the West Virginia Constitution to clarify that nothing in the Constitution of West Virginia secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.^[5]

Amendment 1

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	295,536	51.73
No	275,738	48.27
Total votes	571,274	100.00

Amended the state constitution to authorize the legislature to reduce the budget of the state judiciary by up to 15 percent, among other things relating to the judiciary.^[6]

Amendment 2

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	386,272	72.35
No	147,594	27.65
Total votes	533,866	100.00

Two special elections were held after the resignation of Justices Menis Ketchum and Robin Davis in July and August respectively. The resignations came after revelations and legislative investigations into a misuse of state funds and corruption of the state judiciary. Tim Armstead was appointed to Ketchum's seat and Evan Jenkins was appointed to Davis's seat by Governor Jim Justice.^[7]

• Tim Armstead, incumbent justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2015 to 2018.
• Joanna I. Tabit, judge on the Thirteenth Circuit Court in West Virginia.
• Chris Wilkes.
• Mark Hunt, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from District 36.
• Ronald Hatfield Jr.

• Evan Jenkins, incumbent justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, U.S. Representative from WV from 2015 to 2018.
• Dennise Renee Smith, assistant attorney general of West Virginia.
• Jeffrey Kessler, former West Virginia State Senate President.
• Jim Douglas, Judge on the West Virginia Family Court Circuit 11, Division 5.
• Robert Frank.