2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia

The 2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States elections in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated.[1] West Virginia voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, incumbent President Donald Trump, and running mate Vice President Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his running mate California Senator Kamala Harris. West Virginia has five electoral votes in the Electoral College.[2]

Main article: 2020 United States presidential election
2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia
November 3, 2020
Turnout63.25%
 
Nominee Donald Trump Joe Biden
Party Republican Democratic
Home state Florida Delaware
Running mate Mike Pence Kamala Harris
Electoral vote 5 0
Popular vote 545,382 235,984
Percentage 68.62% 29.69%
County Results
Trump
  40–50%
  50–60%
  60–70%
  70–80%
  80–90%

President before election

Donald Trump
Republican

 Elected President

Joe Biden
Democratic

Elections in West Virginia
Federal elections
Presidential Elections
Presidential Primaries
U.S. Senate Elections
U.S. House Elections
Special elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Secretary of State elections
Senate elections
House of Delegates elections

Trump easily carried West Virginia on Election Day by 38.9 points, down from 41.7 points in 2016. Prior to the election, all 16 news organizations declared West Virginia a safe red state. West Virginia, a historically Democratic state for much of the 20th century, has been Republican since 2000, and reliably since 2004. It became Trump's second-strongest state in 2020, changing places with Wyoming, after having been Trump's strongest state by vote share in 2016. West Virginia was also one of two states where Trump won every county, the other being Oklahoma. The closest county in the state, and the only one Trump did not carry with an outright majority of the vote, was Monongalia County; which is home to West Virginia University. Biden coming 1.24% from winning it marked the closest a Democrat has come to winning any county in West Virginia since 2008. This was the third consecutive presidential election where every county within the state voted Republican, but the first since 1996 in which the Democratic vote share increased relative to the preceding election.

Trump's overhaul of Obama-era coal emissions standards appeared to benefit him in the state.[3] Per exit polls by the Associated Press, Trump's strength in West Virginia came from voters who prioritized focusing on expanding production of fossil fuels, such as coal, who comprised 58% of voters and broke for Trump by 90%.[4] Trump's strongest region was southern West Virginia. This coal-mining, union-heavy region was once among the most heavily Democratic places in the nation; Logan County, for example, broke 72% of its ballots for Bill Clinton in 1996, 61% for Al Gore in 2000, and even 52% for John Kerry in 2004; but by 2008, John McCain flipped it to the Republican column with 54% of the vote, which increased to 68% for Mitt Romney in 2012 and by 2016 and 2020, it had voted 80.9% for Trump.

Primary elections

The primary elections were originally scheduled for May 12, 2020. In April, they were moved to June 9 due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Democratic primary

Vice President Joe Biden won the Democratic primary and received all of West Virginia's 28 pledged delegates, as well as all six unpledged PLEO (party leaders and elected officials) delegates, to the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[6]

This section is an excerpt from 2020 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary[edit]
2020 West Virginia Democratic presidential primary[7]
Candidate Votes % Delegates
Joe Biden 122,518 65.35% 28
Bernie Sanders (suspended) 22,793 12.16%
David Lee Rice 15,470 8.25%
Elizabeth Warren (withdrawn) 5,741 3.06%
Tulsi Gabbard (withdrawn) 4,163 2.22%
Michael Bloomberg (withdrawn) 3,759 2.01%
Pete Buttigieg (withdrawn) 3,455 1.84%
Amy Klobuchar (withdrawn) 3,011 1.61%
Andrew Yang (withdrawn) 2,590 1.38%
Michael Bennet (withdrawn) 1,865 0.99%
Tom Steyer (withdrawn) 1,235 0.66%
Deval Patrick (withdrawn) 882 0.47%
Total 187,482[8] 100% 28

Republican primary

Incumbent President Donald Trump won the Republican primary and received all of West Virginia's 35 delegates to the 2020 Republican National Convention.[9]

This section is an excerpt from 2020 West Virginia Republican presidential primary[edit]
2020 West Virginia Republican presidential primary
Candidate Popular vote[10] Pledged
delegates[11]
# %
Donald Trump 198,691 94.39 35
Joe Walsh (withdrawn) 3,806 1.81 0
Bill Weld (withdrawn) 3,721 1.77 0
Rocky De La Fuente 1,537 0.73 0
Bob Ely 1,436 0.68 0
Matthew Mattern 1,315 0.62 0
Total 210,506 100% 35

Mountain (Green) primary

West Virginia's Green Party affiliate conducted an online party-run primary, utilizing the state's original primary date of May 12, 2020 as its deadline.

West Virginia Mountain (Green) Party presidential primary[12]
Candidate Percentage National delegates
Howie Hawkins 78.3% 5
David Rolde 8.7% 0
Jesse Ventura (Write-in) 8.7% 0
Dario Hunter 4.3% 0
Total 100.00% 5

General election

Predictions
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[13] Safe R September 10, 2020
Inside Elections[14] Safe R September 4, 2020
Sabato's Crystal Ball[15] Safe R July 14, 2020
Politico[16] Safe R September 8, 2020
RCP[17] Safe R August 3, 2020
Niskanen[18] Safe R July 26, 2020
CNN[19] Safe R August 3, 2020
The Economist[20] Safe R September 2, 2020
CBS News[21] Likely R August 16, 2020
270towin[22] Safe R August 2, 2020
ABC News[23] Safe R July 31, 2020
NPR[24] Likely R August 3, 2020
NBC News[25] Safe R August 6, 2020
538[26] Safe R September 9, 2020

Polling
Graphical summary

Aggregate polls

Source of poll
aggregation		 Dates
administered		 Dates
updated		 Joe
Biden
Democratic		 Donald
Trump
Republican		 Other/
Undecided
[lower-alpha 1]		 Margin
270 to Win September 1 – October 21, 2020 October 28, 2020 37.7% 57.7% 4.6% Trump +20.0
FiveThirtyEight until October 27, 2020 October 28, 2020 35.7% 59.9% 4.4% Trump +24.2
Average 36.7% 58.8% 4.5% Trump +22.1

Polls

Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]		 Margin
of error		 Donald
Trump
Republican		 Joe
Biden
Democratic		 Jo
Jorgensen
Libertarian		 Howie
Hawkins
Mountain		 Other Undecided
SurveyMonkey/Axios Oct 20 – Nov 2, 2020 816 (LV) ± 5% 67%[lower-alpha 3] 32% – – – –
SurveyMonkey/Axios Oct 1–28, 2020 1,359 (LV) – 66% 32% – – – –
Triton Polling and Research/WMOV Oct 19–21, 2020 544 (LV) ± 4.2% 58% 38% – – – 4%
Research America Inc./West Virginia Metro News Oct 6–9, 2020 450 (LV) ± 4.6% 53% 39% 4% 1% – 3%
Triton Polling & Research/WMOV Sep 29–30, 2020[lower-alpha 4] 525 (RV) ± 4.3% 56% 38% – – – 5%
SurveyMonkey/Axios Sep 1–30, 2020 516 (LV) – 62% 36% – – – 2%
SurveyMonkey/Axios Aug 1–31, 2020 496 (LV) – 65% 32% – – – 2%
SurveyMonkey/Axios Jul 1–31, 2020 494 (LV) – 67% 32% – – – 1%
SurveyMonkey/Axios Jun 8–30, 2020 264 (LV) – 72% 27% – – – 1%
WPA Intelligence/Club for Growth[upper-alpha 1] Jan 7–9, 2020 500 (LV) ± 4.4% 66% 31% – – – 3%
Former candidates
Donald Trump vs. Bernie Sanders
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]		 Margin
of error		 Donald
Trump (R)		 Bernie
Sanders (D)		 Undecided
WPA Intelligence/Club for Growth[upper-alpha 1] Jan 7–9, 2020 500 (LV) ± 4.4 % 66% 29% 5%
Tulchin Research Oct 6–13, 2017 400 (LV) ± 4.9% 46% 48% 6%
Donald Trump vs. Elizabeth Warren
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[lower-alpha 2]		 Margin
of error		 Donald
Trump (R)		 Elizabeth
Warren (D)		 Undecided
Zogby Analytics Aug 17–23, 2017 401 (LV) ± 4.9% 43% 40% 17%

Results

Trump won West Virginia, carrying the popular vote in each of the state's 55 counties.[27]

2020 United States presidential election in West Virginia[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald Trump
Mike Pence 		545,382 68.6 +0.10%
Democratic Joe Biden
Kamala Harris		 235,984 29.7 +3.27%
Libertarian Jo Jorgensen
Spike Cohen		 10,687 1.3
Mountain Howie Hawkins
Angela Walker		 2,599 0.3
Write-in 79 <0.1 +
Total votes 794,731 100.0 +

By congressional district

Trump won all three congressional districts.[30]

District Trump Biden Representative
1st 68% 30% David McKinley
2nd 65% 33% Alex Mooney
3rd 73% 26% Carol Miller

By county

[31]

County Biden% Biden# Trump% Trump# Others% Others# Margin% Margin# Total
Barbour21.82%1,45776.62%5,1161.56%10454.8%3,6596,677
Berkeley33.35%17,18664.58%33,2792.08%1,07031.23%16,09351,535
Boone22.65%2,04175.63%6,8161.72%15552.98%4,7759,012
Braxton25.72%1,45772.74%4,1201.54%8747.02%2,6635,664
Brooke27.66%2,94770.81%7,5451.54%16443.15%4,59810,656
Cabell40.13%14,99458.14%21,7211.73%64518.01%6,72737,360
Calhoun19.12%56879.57%2,3641.31%3960.45%1,7962,971
Clay19.05%64179.61%2,6791.34%4560.56%2,0383,365
Doddridge14.03%43584.46%2,6191.52%4770.43%2,1843,101
Fayette30.03%5,06368.68%11,5801.3%21938.65%6,51716,862
Gilmer22.5%59975.58%2,0121.92%5153.08%1,4132,662
Grant11.02%60788.42%4,8710.56%3177.4%4,2645,509
Greenbrier29.37%4,65568.93%10,9251.7%27039.56%6,27015,850
Hampshire19.22%1,93979.65%8,0331.13%11460.42%6,09410,086
Hancock27.46%3,79071.06%9,8061.48%20443.59%6,01613,800
Hardy21.81%1,38176.75%4,8591.44%9154.94%3,4786,331
Harrison30.25%9,21567.89%20,6831.86%56737.64%11,46830,465
Jackson23.74%3,20774.72%10,0931.54%20850.98%6,88613,508
Jefferson43.78%12,12754.26%15,0331.96%54310.49%2,90627,703
Kanawha41.76%34,34456.42%46,3981.83%1,50214.66%12,05482,244
Lewis20.62%1,53877.54%5,7821.84%13756.91%4,2447,457
Lincoln21.85%1,71176.78%6,0121.37%10754.93%4,3017,830
Logan17.91%2,33380.87%10,5341.22%15962.96%8,20113,026
Marion34.51%8,90163.19%16,3002.3%59328.68%7,39925,794
Marshall24.54%3,45574.11%10,4351.35%19049.57%6,98014,080
Mason22.55%2,52675.79%8,4911.66%18653.24%5,96511,203
McDowell20.42%1,33378.87%5,1480.7%4658.45%3,8156,527
Mercer22.11%5,55676.54%19,2371.36%34154.43%13,68125,134
Mineral20.67%2,66078%10,0401.34%17257.33%7,38012,872
Mingo13.94%1,39785.25%8,5440.81%8171.31%7,14710,022
Monongalia48.21%20,28249.45%20,8032.35%9871.24%52142,072
Monroe20.72%1,34578.09%5,0681.19%7757.37%3,7236,490
Morgan22.98%1,99875.18%6,5371.84%16052.2%4,5398,695
Nicholas20.94%2,22677.88%8,2791.18%12556.94%6,05310,630
Ohio36.3%7,22362.09%12,3541.61%32125.79%5,13119,898
Pendleton22.41%82076.03%2,7821.56%5753.62%1,9623,659
Pleasants20.02%69978.54%2,7421.43%5058.52%2,0433,491
Pocahontas26.12%1,04772.23%2,8951.65%6646.11%1,8484,008
Preston21.71%3,16376.79%11,1901.5%21955.09%8,02714,572
Putnam27.64%7,87870.29%20,0342.07%58942.65%12,15628,501
Raleigh24.11%7,98274.53%24,6731.36%45150.42%16,69133,106
Randolph27.56%3,36271.09%8,6731.35%16543.53%5,31112,200
Ritchie13.68%58685.2%3,6491.12%4871.52%3,0634,283
Roane25.25%1,45573.1%4,2131.65%9547.86%2,7585,763
Summers25.93%1,44872.95%4,0741.13%6347.02%2,6265,585
Taylor24.33%1,79674.18%5,4771.49%11049.86%3,6817,383
Tucker24.4%93873.91%2,8411.69%6549.51%1,9033,844
Tyler16.09%63182.25%3,2261.66%6566.17%2,5953,922
Upshur22.07%2,25676.03%7,7711.9%19453.96%5,51510,221
Wayne24.12%4,08874.26%12,5851.62%27450.14%8,49716,947
Webster17.93%61081.1%2,7590.97%3363.17%2,1493,402
Wetzel23.08%1,53974.89%4,9932.02%13551.81%3,4546,667
Wirt17.57%46680.44%2,1342%5362.87%1,6682,653
Wood28.19%10,92670.18%27,2021.64%63441.99%16,27638,762
Wyoming13.47%1,15785.58%7,3530.95%8272.11%6,1968,592

Notes
  1. Calculated by taking the difference of 100% and all other candidates combined.
  2. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  3. Overlapping sample with the previous SurveyMonkey/Axios poll, but more information available regarding sample size
  4. Additional data sourced from FiveThirtyEight
Partisan clients
  1. The Club for Growth is a PAC supporting the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign

See also

References
  1. Kelly, Ben (August 13, 2018). "US elections key dates: When are the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential campaign?". The Independent. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  2. "Distribution of Electoral Votes". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  3. Dennis, Brady; Eilperin, Juliet. "Trump administration rolls back Obama-era rule aimed at limiting toxic wastewater from coal plants" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  4. "West Virginia Voter Surveys: How Different Groups Voted". The New York Times. November 3, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  5. "Gov. Jim Justice announces WV Primary Election will move to June 9, schools will remain closed through April 30". WBOY-TV. April 1, 2020.
  6. "West Virginia Democratic Delegation 2020". The Green Papers. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  7. "Results – Democratic Contests". results.enr.clarityelections.com/. West Virginia Secretary of State. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  8. https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/WV/103231/web.247524/#/summary?category=C_2
  9. "West Virginia Republican Delegation 2020". The Green Papers. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  10. "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  11. "West Virginia Republican Delegation 2020". www.thegreenpapers.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  12. "Results - 2020 Presidential Primary". Mountain Party. May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  13. "2020 POTUS Race ratings" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  14. "POTUS Ratings | Inside Elections". insideelections.com. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  15. "Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball » 2020 President". crystalball.centerforpolitics.org. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  16. "2020 Election Forecast". Politico. November 19, 2019.
  17. "Battle for White House". RCP. April 19, 2019.
  18. 2020 Bitecofer Model Electoral College Predictions, Niskanen Center, March 24, 2020, retrieved: April 19, 2020
  19. David Chalian; Terence Burlij. "Road to 270: CNN's debut Electoral College map for 2020". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  20. "Forecasting the US elections". The Economist. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  21. "2020 Election Battleground Tracker". CBS News. July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  22. "2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map". 270 to Win.
  23. "ABC News Race Ratings". CBS News. July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  24. "2020 Electoral Map Ratings: Trump Slides, Biden Advantage Expands Over 270 Votes". NPR.org. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  25. "Biden dominates the electoral map, but here's how the race could tighten". NBC News. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  26. "2020 Election Forecast". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  27. "West Virginia Election Results 2020". The New York Times. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  28. "West Virginia 2020 General Election". Green Papers. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  29. Certificate of Ascertainment, West Virginia Secretary of State, December 9, 2020.
  30. "2020 Presidential General Election Results - West Virginia".
  31. https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/WV/106210/web.264614/#/detail/100
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