By james art 
When West Virginians go to the polls today to vote for their next U.S. senator, governor, state delegate or county sheriff, their votes will be counted and protected, despite any allegations of fraud.
Four years ago, then-President Donald Trump falsely claimed the election was stolen from him. The ensuing unrest led to a violent uprising in which his supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory.
Trump said this year that if he loses the election, it will only be because he was tricked into winning. Consequently, things can get increasingly confusing, so here’s what you need to know if you’re watching the events unfold at home.
Haven’t voted yet?
If you haven’t voted today, there’s still time.
Several key races will be voted on today. The state will have new leadership in January between the governor’s race and local delegate races in each county.
Mountain State Spotlight has a comprehensive voter guide with information on every candidate running in your district and our previous coverage of conversations with voters from all 55 counties.
How can I find out who won?
After the polls close and the results are in, we will have live election results on our website provided by the Associated Press.
We recommend reading reports in news outlets such as the Associated Press for information on national races outside of West Virginia. There, those results will be updated in real time after the polls close on Election Day.
The Associated Press has a team of experts who research historical voting trends and election laws. As the votes are tallied, they project winners when the losing candidate can no longer come back and win.
Voter turnout has historically been much lower in West Virginia than in other states for the past three presidential elections. But in early voting, several county officials said they had a record turnout on the first day.
How votes are counted in West Virginia
On the night of election day, the ballots cast and counted are counted as unofficial votes. After the polls close, the official results will not be known until several days or weeks later.
Five days after the election, excluding weekends and holidays, county election officials conduct the canvassing process in which mail-in, early voting, absentee ballots, and Election Day ballots are counted together. During this process, officials also review voting machines and other materials involved in the collection of votes.
Once the canvassing process is over, officials announce the results and wait 48 hours during which candidates can request a recount. The results are then certified except where the votes are to be counted.
Within ten days after the certification of the results, the candidates can challenge the selection in court.
If the results are not contested, then they are sent to the Secretary of State and the Governor within 30 days for review. The deadline for submitting the results is December 5.
To learn more about how election officials tally votes in West Virginia, you can find the state’s canvassing and recount guide on the Secretary of State’s Office website. Or see the West Virginia election calendar.
To learn more about election laws, you can read the elections and officials section of the state constitution.
How is your vote secured?
The West Virginia Secretary of State’s office ensures that all elections are secure and that each ballot is properly counted.
County clerks do the actual counting of votes at the local level as specified by state law.
“The process is set up in a way that makes the election the safest and most transparent to earn public trust,” Diana Cromley, Mason County Clerk and president of the West Virginia Association of Counties, wrote in a recent post.
County clerks are responsible for ensuring that everyone who votes is eligible to vote and has access to vote, Cromley wrote. They also assist in the campaigning process after election day.
Is voter fraud a problem?
In 2020, former President Donald Trump claimed that the presidential election was stolen, despite numerous court rulings indicating otherwise. Those claims were echoed by West Virginia politicians, even the state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Mack Warner.
The truth is that incidents of voter fraud are almost non-existent, voter impersonation is very rare and many cases of suspected fraud are errors by election administrators, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.
Human errors can still happen. In Mingo County, a state Senate candidate was mistakenly left off nearly 700 ballots during early voting.
Several studies have also been conducted which show that electoral fraud is extremely rare. It is illegal in any state for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, punishable by up to a year in federal prison and a fine.
“Citizens can vote in 2024 with confidence,” wrote Michael Waldman, the center’s president and CEO. “Despite the hype, the lies and the melodrama, the vote is likely to be a no-brainer for the vast majority of Americans.”