What are the Official Political Parties in West Virginia?
• The three political parties which will nominate candidates in the Primary Election are: • Democratic – http://democrats.org/ • Republican – http://www.gop.com/ • Mountain – http://mtparty.org/ • West Virginia Code defines political parties as: “Any affiliation of voters representing any principle or organization which, at the last preceding general election, polled for its candidate for governor at least one percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for that office in the state…” [WV Code §3-1-8] This definition creates the avenue for a minor party to become an official party. As soon as a minor party achieves ballot access for its candidate for Governor by petition, and then wins at least one percent of the vote in the General Election, the minor party becomes official. • The Democratic and Republican Parties have maintained official party status throughout West Virginia’s history as a state. In the 2000 General Election, the Mountain Party gained official party
