The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley City of Elkins poll clerks Mary Richards and Richard Humphrey are present to help voters make their way to the voting booth on Wednesday as the early voting period for the Elkins Municipal Election began.

A local citizen makes his way into Elkins City Hall, where early voting for the Elkins Municipal Election got underway Wednesday. The early voting period will run until June 10. Election Day is June 13.

ELKINS — The early voting period for the 2023 Elkins Municipal Election got underway Wednesday as citizens made their way to Elkins City Hall to cast their ballots.

Two hours after the polls opened at 9 a.m. Wednesday, more than a dozen early voters had made their voice heard at the polls, Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco told The Inter-Mountain.

For the first time this year, the early voting session was moved from the month of March to June to better accommodate those wishing to vote early.

“They changed the early voting month during the last election,” said Marco, who was the only person to file for mayor in the election. “They wanted to move it to the month of June in hopes of enticing people to come out and vote since the weather will be warmer than in March. Hopefully we will have a good voter turnout until the early voting period ends on June 10.”

Those wishing to vote early can do so on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The polls are also open from 9 a.m until 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Election Day is slated for June 13 and the polls will be open that day from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

On Election Day, a mayor will be elected to a four-year term and one council member from each of the city’s five wards will be elected to four-year terms. One council member from Second Ward and one from Third Ward will be elected to two-year unexpired terms.

A total of 14 candidates are on the city election ballot.

Four candidates are running for the First Ward council seat, including Michael C. Elza, Pat Varchetto, Phillips Kolsun and Cody Kerns. Judy Guye currently holds the seat, but did not file for re-election.

Incumbent Mike Hinchman filed for re-election in Second Ward and his term for this seat will end in 2027.

Chris Lowther, an incumbent Third Ward council member, has also filed for re-election. This term will also end in 2027.

Elizabeth Marshall-MacVean and Andrew Carroll are vying for the Fourth Ward city council seat as incumbent Marilyn Cuonzo, like Guye, did not file to run for re-election.

Linda Vest, Burley Woods and former state Delegate Cody Thompson are running for the Fifth Ward council seat.

An additional seat in Second Ward and Third Ward are on the ballot and will be for a term of just two years, as the current council members were appointed to those seats after a previous representative stepped down.

Lisa Severino was appointed to a Second Ward seat last year and is on the ballot for the tern that will end in 2025. Chad Griggs, who was appointed to the Third Ward seat, did not file to run in the election. Erika Plishka has filed to run for that seat.

“We have several candidates running in various Wards,” said Marco. “I’m really glad people are wanting to get involved.”