The 2026 West Virginia Senate election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside the other 2026 United States elections. Voters will elect half the members of the West Virginia Senate to serve a four-year term. Two other Senate seats will hold special elections. Primary elections were held on May 12, 2026.
As of November 1, 2025, there were 34 active candidacies for the 2026 state senate election. Candidate filing for office ended on January 31, 2026, with Republicans filing in all 17 regular elections and both specials, and with Democrats filing in 15 regular elections and one special.
This election will take place alongside races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state house, and numerous other state and local elections.
Crossover seat Only one state senate district, District 5, voted for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2024 and a Democratic state senate nominee in the 2022 general election:
District Delegate Residence Senatevote Presidentialvote 5th Mike Woelfel Huntington
Appointments According to §3-10-5 of West Virginia Code, vacancies in the state senate are filled through appointment by the governor of one of three candidates chosen by the executive committee of the outgoing member's party. Below is a list of appointments made during the 86th Legislature. DistrictIncumbentPartyAppointeeRef.Departing memberFirst electedIncoming memberAppt. date7th2022Rep17th2020Rep
Predictions
Statewide SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball January 22, 2026 State Navigate February 10, 2026
Competitive districts DistrictIncumbentLast resultState NavigateFebruary 10, 20261stLaura Chapman60.46% R 5thMike Woelfel (retiring)53.97% D 8thT. Kevan Bartlett56.76% R 13thMike Oliverio50.29% R 17thTom Takubo58.45% R 17th (special)Anne Charnock64.27% R
Results By district District Incumbent Candidates Member Party First elected Status1stLaura ChapmanRepublican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Laura Chapman (Republican) Shawn Fluharty (Democratic)2ndCharles H. Clements Republican2018 Incumbent retiring.Chris Claypole (Democratic) Toby Heaney (Republican)3rdrowspan=2 Mike Azinger Republican2016 (sp)Incumbent running for re-election.Mike Azinger (Republican) Ronnie Green (Constitution) Caci Petrehn (Democratic)3rd (sp)Trenton Barnhart RepublicanIncumbent running for re-election.Trenton Barnhart (Republican)4thEric Tarr Republican2018Incumbent running for re-election.Zachary Abbott (Democratic) Stephanie Butcher (Libertarian) Eric Tarr (Republican)5thMike Woelfel Democratic2014 Incumbent retiring.DuRon Jackson (Democratic) Chris Miller (Republican) Glendon Watts (Constitution)6thMark R. Maynard Republican2014Incumbent running for re-election.Wyatt Lilly (Democratic) Mark Maynard (Republican)7thZack Maynard RepublicanIncumbent running for re-election.Cynthia Brake (Democratic) Shawn M. Legg (Independent) Zack Maynard (Republican)8thT. Kevan Bartlett Republican Incumbent lost renomination.Kim Hundley (Democratic) Lance V. Wheeler (Republican)9thRollan Roberts Republican2018Incumbent running for re-election.Christy Cardwell (Democratic) Rollan Roberts (Republican)10thVince Deeds Republican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Vince Deeds (Republican) Kent Gilkerson (Democratic)11thBill Hamilton Republican2018Incumbent running for re-election.Kevin Leon Carpenter (Democratic) Bill Hamilton (Republican)12thBen Queen Republican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Lynette Murray (Democratic) Ben Queen (Republican)13thMike Oliverio Republican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Mike Oliverio (Republican) Taylor Richmond (Libertarian) John Williams (Democratic)14thJay Taylor Republican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Jason Armentrout (Democratic) Jay Taylor (Republican)15thDarren Thorne RepublicanIncumbent running for re-election.Elizabeth Ferris (Democratic) Darren Thorne (Republican)16thJason Barrett Republican2022Incumbent running for re-election.Jason Barrett (Republican) Travis Bost (Libertarian)17throwspan=2 Tom Takubo Republican2014Incumbent running for re-election.Wes Holden (Democratic) Tom Takubo (Republican)17th (sp)Anne Charnock RepublicanIncumbent running for re-election.Anne Charnock (Republican) Richie Robb (Democratic)
District 1
The first Senate district is located within the state's Northern Panhandle. Contained within the district are the entirety of the counties of Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio, along with portions of Marshall County. The largest municipality in the district is Wheeling; other communities within the district include Bethlehem, Chester, Follansbee, Hooverson, Wellsburg, and Weirton.
The incumbent for this seat is Laura Chapman, a Republican, first elected in 2022, winning the general election with 60.5 percent of the vote, flipping a Democratic-held seat. She is running for re-election. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 68.7 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican primary Nominee Laura Chapman, incumbent senator Eliminated in primary Joe Eddy, CEO
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 7, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handLaura Chapman (R) $60,108.86 $7,271.72 $52,937.14Joe Eddy (R) $60,709.68 $24,858.47 $55,851.21Source: West Virginia Secretary of State
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error LauraChapman JoeEddy UndecidedState NavigateFebruary 27–28, 2026415 (LV)± 4.8%40%15%46%
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Shawn Fluharty, state delegate from the 5th district (2014–present)
Endorsements
Results
General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof errorLauraChapman (R)ShawnFluharty (D) Other UndecidedState NavigateSeptember 28–29, 20261,065 (LV)±3.3%48%43%9%
Results
District 2
The second Senate district is located within the mid-Ohio Valley region. Contained within the district are the entirety of the counties of Doddridge, Tyler, and Wetzel, along with portions of the counties of Marion, Marshall, and Monongalia. The largest municipality in the district is Moundsville; other communities within the district include Cheat Lake, New Martinsville, and Paden City.
The incumbent for this seat is Charles H. Clements, a Republican, first appointed in 2017. He was re-elected to this seat in 2018 and 2022, winning the general election with 58.5 and 62.4 percent of the vote respectively. He has declined to run for re-election, instead endorsing attorney Bob Dobkin for the Republican nomination. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 69.7 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican primary Nominee Toby Heaney, veteran and candidate for West Virginia's 76th house district in 2022 and 2024
Eliminated in primary Bob Dobkin, attorney
Declined Charles Clements, incumbent senator (endorsed Dobkin)
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 7, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handCharles H. Clements (R) $5,600.00 $5,600.00 $0.00Bob Dobkin (R) $16,186.91 $2,204.04 $13,982.87Toby Heaney (R) $17,352.67 $11,027.84 $10,324.83Source: West Virginia Secretary of State
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error BobDobkin TobyHeaney UndecidedState NavigateApril 27–29, 2026381 (LV)± 5.0%28%29%43%33%36%31%
Results
Democratic primary Nominee Chris Claypole
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 7, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handChris Claypole (D) $1,731.44 $744.74 $419.26Source: West Virginia Secretary of State Results
General election
Results
District 3 (regular)
The third Senate district is based in the city of Parkersburg and contains the entirety of the counties of Pleasants, Ritchie, Wirt, and Wood. Other communities within the district include Blennerhassett, Vienna, and Williamstown.
The incumbent for this seat is Mike Azinger, a Republican, first elected in 2016. He was re-elected to this seat in 2018 and 2022, winning the general election with 57.4 and 65.7 percent of the vote respectively. He faced a strong primary challenge in 2022, winning his primary with just 51.5 percent of the vote. He is running for re-election. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 73.2 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican primary Nominee Mike Azinger, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Bob Fehrenbacher, state delegate from the 11th district (2022–present)
Did not qualify William Wesley Cox
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 7, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handMike Azinger (R) $31,528.16 $1,116.50 $30,411.66Source: West Virginia Secretary of State Results
Democratic primary Nominee Caci Petrehn
Endorsements
Results
General election
Results
District 3 (special)
The incumbent for this seat is Trenton Barnhart, a Republican, first appointed in 2026, never being elected to this seat in his own right. He is running for re-election. No Democrats filed to run for the seat, likely making the Republican primary tantamount to election. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 73.2 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican primary Nominee Trenton Barnhart, incumbent senator
Eliminated in primary Jason Harshbarger, former state delegate from the 7th district (2016–2019)
Endorsements
Results
District 4
The fourth Senate district contains the entirety of Mason County, along with portions of the counties of Cabell, Jackson, and Putnam. The largest municipality in the district is Teays Valley; other communities within the district include Culloden, Hurricane, Milton, Point Pleasant, Ravenswood, Ripley, and Winfield.
The incumbent for this seat is Eric Tarr, a Republican, first elected in 2018. He was elected to this seat in the 2018 general election with 51.8 percent of the vote and was re-elected in 2022 without opposition. He is running for re-election. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 74.0 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Republican primary Nominee Eric Tarr, incumbent senator Eliminated in primary Phillip D. Surface Travis Willard Did not qualify Kenneth D. Matthews Jr. Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of January 7, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handPhillip D. Surface (R) $51,352.81 $14,133.65 $54,250.29Eric Tarr (R) $22,942.28 $12,977.17 $64,361.22Travis Willard (R) $11,058.89 $10,398.06 $660.83Source: West Virginia Secretary of State Results
Democratic primary Nominee Zachary Abbott Results
General election
Results
District 5
The fifth Senate district is based in the city of Huntington and contains portions of the counties of Cabell and Wayne. Other communities within the district include Kenova and Barboursville.
The incumbent for this seat is minority leader Mike Woelfel, a Democrat, first elected in the 2014 general election with 49.8 percent of the vote. He was re-elected to this seat in 2018 and 2022, winning the general election with 59.7 and 54.0 percent of the vote respectively. He has declined to run for re-election. Republican nominee Donald Trump won this district with 61.3 percent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Democratic primary Nominee DuRon Jackson, former member of Huntington City Council Eliminated in primary Josh Keck, educator Paul David Ross
Declined Mike Woelfel, incumbent senator
Results
Republican primary Nominee Chris Miller, auto salesman, son of U.S. Representative Carol Miller, and candidate for governor in 2024
Endorsements
Results
General election
Results
District 6