Sprague, West Virginia Public Records

West Virginia residents can register to vote online at https://ovr.sos.wv.gov/Register/Landing, by mail using a voter registration form available from the Raleigh County Clerk or downloadable from the Secretary of State's website, or in person at the Raleigh County Clerk's office. Registration must be completed 21 days before any election. The state requires voters to provide a valid West Virginia driver's license or state ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Voters must be U.S. Citizens, West Virginia residents living in Raleigh County where they register, and at least 17 years old (those who register at 17 cannot vote until turning 18). As an unincorporated community, Sprague has no municipal elections for mayor or town council. Residents instead vote in Raleigh County, West Virginia state, and federal elections. County offices appearing on ballots include County Commission, Sheriff, County Clerk, Prosecuting Attorney, Assessor, and Circuit Clerk, with varying term lengths and election cycles. The state holds partisan primary elections in May and general elections in November of even-numbered years. Voters can locate their assigned polling place using the West Virginia Secretary of State's voter registration search at https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace, which allows searching by name and county or by address. Early voting runs for 13 days prior to Election Day - from two Wednesdays before through the Saturday before - including both Saturdays and both Sundays before the election. The Raleigh County Clerk's office designates early voting locations, typically including the main courthouse in Beckley. Public election records in the state include voter registration lists, available for purchase by political parties, candidates, and others for lawful election related purposes under W. Va. Code §3-2-30. Individual voter registration status can be verified online. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political committees are filed with the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office and searchable online at https://cfrs.wvsos.com/. Election results by precinct are maintained by the Raleigh County Clerk as public records, and certified results are published on the Secretary of State's website following each election. Candidate filings for county, state, and federal offices are public information available from the Raleigh County Clerk and Secretary of State. West Virginia does not have a U.S. Senate seat up for election in 2026, as both current senators are elected in different cycle years. At the state level, all 100 West Virginia House of Delegates seats will be contested, as delegates serve two-year terms, along with half of the 34 State Senate seats (senators serve four-year staggered terms). Residents participate in district elections for their state legislative representatives. Voters should check with the Raleigh County Clerk closer to the election for specific local races and ballot measures. West Virginia allows absentee voting for voters who will be absent from the county on Election Day, have a physical disability, illness or injury preventing in-person voting, are confined to a jail or correctional facility, have medical appointments or childbirth on Election Day, or have religious beliefs preventing in-person voting. Absentee ballot applications are available from the Raleigh County Clerk's office or online at the Secretary of State's website. The application deadline is six days before Election Day for mail-return ballots. Voters can apply for absentee ballots beginning 84 days before an election. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the Raleigh County Clerk by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted.