Last month, West Virginia minor parties did unusually well in races below president. For Governor, Mountain Party nominee Charlotte Pritt polled 5.89% of the vote, the best showing for a West Virginia gubernatorial nominee who was not the Democratic or Republican nominee since 1992, when she (as a Democratic write-in candidate in November) polled 7.38%. If one excludes the Pritt 1992 showing, no minor party or independent had polled as much as 5% for West Virginia Governor since 1920.
The only November 2016 Libertarian nominee for U.S. House, Zane Lawhorn in the 3rd district, polled 8.14%. This was the highest percentage for anyone running for U.S. House in West Virginia who was not a Democratic or Republican nominee, and who was running in a district with both major parties in the race, since Ken Hechler was a write-in in 1976. Hechler was the Democratic incumbent at the time. Setting aside his example, the Libertarian 2016 showing for U.S. House (in races with both major parties also running) was the best for any minor party or independent since 1914.
Also, the Libertarian nominee for Agriculture Commissioner, Buddy Guthrie, polled 10.31%. The Republican got 48.41% and the Democrat got 41.28%. This was the best showing for a non-major party nominee for statewide office since Ross Perot’s 1996 showing.
The Socialist Equality Party nominee for State House, 16th district, Naomi Spencer Daly, received the vote of 6.87% of the voters who cast a ballot in her race. She was the only legislative nominee of any party with “Socialist” or “Socialism” in its name on the ballot anywhere in the United States this year.
West Virginia did not have a U.S. Senate election in 2016.
