Some of those who are waiting to vote during the general election on Nov. 8 have reached out to The Inter-Mountain in recent days, voicing their concerns about where they will vote this election season. And because of legislative redistricting last year, some will have to take a different path and vote in different polling places next month.

“Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census is over, and this year we had to redistrict because of the results of that census,” Randolph County Clerk Brenda Wiseman told The Inter-Mountain. “It is not something we don’t want to do, but it’s something we are required to do.”

Wiseman said those who will vote at different polling places this year due to redistricting were notified by mail several months ago

“Everyone who had their location changed received a letter and new card in the mail,” she said. “The letter explained why this is happening and the card had their new precinct on it ,and where they have to go vote.”

Poll workers Sara Layfield and Maxine Pingley make sure things are in order at the Weese Annex early voting location on Wednesday.

In the Elkins District, voters in Precinct 23 and 24 will vote at Jennings Randolph Elementary School on Election Day. Those in Precinct 25 will vote at the Courthouse Annex, while Precinct 27 and Precinct 28 voters will need to go to Elkins Middle School.

Voting for residents who are in Precinct 28A and Precinct 75 will be at Third Ward Elementary. Precinct 30 will be at Randolph Arts Center, Precinct 31 at Elkins Senior Center, Precinct 80 at North School, and Precinct 85 at Midland Elementary.

The Cheat District voting locations are: Precinct 150 Coalton School; Precinct 155 Midland; Precinct 160 North School; Precinct 165 Leading Creek Fire Department; Precinct 170 Nazarene Youth Center; Precinct 180 Bowden Family Worship Center; Precinct 185 Harman High School; and Precinct 190 at Whitmer Fire Department.

The Tygart District locations are: Precinct 200 and Precinct 202 Beverly Fire Department; Precinct 205 Tygart Valley Fire Department; Precinct 210 Huttonsville Community Center; Precinct 215 Valley Head Library; Precinct 220 Pickens School; Precinct 225 and Precinct 227 George Ward School.

Some voters are also confused about who they can vote for on Nov. 8, because the Delegate districts have changed. Randolph County, which previously was part of the 43rd District, has now been separated by the new 66th delegate District and the 67th delegate District.

Voters in the 66th district have the option to vote for either William ‘Ty” Nestor or Bob Sheets for the new delegate seat, while those in the 67th district can choose between Cody Thompson or Elias Coop-Gonzalez.

Thompson and Nestor were elected to serve as the 43rd District representatives in 2020, but now each is running for the lone delegate seat in each of the two new districts.

The new district boundary line cuts the county somewhat in half, while meandering different directions along the way. For instance, those who live in the Crystal Springs/Tygarts Valley Mall area of town are now in the 66th district, while people who reside around the Davis & Elkins College/City Park area are now in the 67th district.

Another example is at the intersection leading into Elkins High School on the Beverly Five-lane. If someone lives on the road leading to EHS, which is Kennedy Drive, they are now in 66th district. But if someone lives across the Five-lane and that same stoplight on Chenoweth Creek Road, they are now part of the 67th district.

A map detailing the two new districts can be found at https://www.mapwv.gov/vote/.

Those living in Precincts 27, 28, 28A, 75, 150, 160, 205, 210, 215, 220, 225 and 227 are now in the 66th district. Those who live in Precincts 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 80, 85, 155, 165, 170, 180, 185, 190 and 200 are now part of the 67th district.

“It’s a long, drawn-out process, but it’s something that happens every 10 years,” Wiseman said. “I know there’s a lot of people who are not happy about their new precinct to go to, but there’s nothing that we can do to change it.”

Wiseman said those who choose to vote early don’t have to worry about a polling places change because early voting is done at just two locations — the Wees Annex on Randolph Avenue in Elkins, and at the Russell Memorial Public Library in Mill Creek.

“We always have early voting for people and it’s just at two locations,” she said. “Both locations are open for 10 days and on two Saturdays during that time. So they can just stop in at one of those two spots if they don’t want to wait and go on Election Day to a different precinct.”