Calhoun County Schools, West Virginia, elections
Election dates and frequency
School board general elections in West Virginia are held on the date of the statewide primary election on the second Tuesday in May every two years in even-numbered years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Recent or upcoming election dates for all public school districts in the state
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for all public school districts in the state. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: January 27, 2024
- General election date: May 14, 2024
Election system
School board members in West Virginia are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in West Virginia are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. West Virginia Code says that school board members must be "nominated and elected by the voters of the respective county without reference to political party affiliation."
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
Winning an election
In West Virginia, the school board candidate that receives the most votes is elected to office provided the requirement that "no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district" is met.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Term length and staggering
School board members in West Virginia have four-year regular terms.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6
West Virginia Code does not require specific election staggering for school board members. In most districts, however, as close to half of board seats as possible are up for regular election every two years.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6, Section 3-5-1, and Section 18-5-1b
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
West Virginia Code does not say whether school board members must be elected at-large or by sub-district. It does state that no more than two school board members can be elected from the same county magisterial district. Each county is divided into at least three and no more than 10 magisterial sub-districts. As of 2023, six school districts in West Virginia elected board members by sub-district and the other districts elected board members at large.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 18-5-1
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
The deadline in West Virginia for school board candidates to file certificates of announcement declaring candidacy is on the last Saturday in January in the same year as the election (even-numbered years). The filing must be received or postmarked before midnight on the day of the deadline. Certificates of announcement must be sword statements before public notaries and must contain the election date, the office sought, the legal name and ballot name of the candidate, the candidate's residential address, and a good faith statement.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
School board candidates in West Virginia can begin filing certificates of announcement when the filing window opens on the second Monday in January in the same years as the election (even-numbered years).
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-7
Newly elected school board members in West Virginia officially take office on July 1 following their election.
See law: West Virginia Code Section 3-5-6 and Section 3-5-1