Morgan Co. has highest percentage of new voters in West Virginia

April 24, 2008|By TRISH RUDDER

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - With 882 new registered voters, Morgan County has the highest percentage of an increase in the state, said Jason Williams, manager of the elections division of the state Secretary of State's office.

Morgan County Clerk Debra Kesecker said the county has 10,890 registered voters. She said the clerk's office was very busy Monday and Tuesday with about 20 people each day registering to vote.

A final total will be known later in the week, when the mail-ins and the pending files are added, she said.

"It's the county races. That's what's bringing the people out this year," Kesecker said.

There were also a lot of registration changes from Republican or Democrat to the No Party affiliation, Kesecker said, which allows the voter for the first time to request either a Republican or a Democratic ballot.

However, only 25 people voted on Wednesday, the first day of early voting, Kesecker said.

"It was not like the last election when we were so busy on the first day," she said.

Kesecker said she arrived an hour early to make sure everything was ready.

She said she thought most people decided to wait a day or two because opening day in the last election was so busy, and the county offices close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

Local resident Greg McGrath cast his vote on Wednesday. He said hopefully both the national and the local county races will bring change.

Early voting in the county continues through May 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays. The county also offers early voting this Saturday and on May 3 and May 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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