ELKINS — Early voting totals for Elkins’ municipal election show a decrease in turnout as the polls open today for election day.

A total of 136 voters in all five of Elkins’ wards participated in early voting this election cycle, the City of Elkins announced in a release after early voting closed Saturday.

That total is around half of the 271 early voting participants recorded in 2023’s municipal election.

The 2023 election saw four candidates going head to head for a First Ward Elkins City Council seat, two candidates vying for a Fourth Ward seat, and three candidates contending for a Fifth Ward seat. Only two wards are contested in the 2025 municipal election.

In First Ward, 13 votes were counted, while Second Ward counted eight and Third Ward counted six.

In Fourth Ward, one of the only two contested wards in this election, a total of 79 early votes were counted.

Fifth Ward, the second of the only two contested wards, counted a total of 30 early votes.

In 2023, Fourth Ward saw a total of 71 early voters, while Fifth Ward saw 63.

Polling places will be open today from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Persons in line at 7:30 p.m. will still be allowed to cast votes.

The official polling places for today’s 2025 Elkins Municipal election include:

* For First Ward, the Church of God Family Worship Center on 1402 Taylor Avenue

* For Second Ward, the Mountain State Forest Festival Building on 101 Lough Street

* For Third Ward, the Elkins Inn and Suites, Randolph Room on 1200 Harrison Avenue

* For Fourth Ward, the Wees Annex on 32 Randolph Avenue

* For Fifth Ward, the Old Brick Playhouse on 329 Davis Avenue

Voters also have the option of voting with an absentee ballot by mail. Absentee ballot applicants had until June 4 to send for an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballots must be delivered by:

* June 9 was the final day for hand delivery of absentee ballots to the Office of the Elkins City Clerk.

* June 11 is the last day for absentee ballots that arrive by mail but are not postmarked.

* June 16 is the last day for absentee ballots postmarked on or before election day.

Five of the 10 Elkins City Council seats are up for election this year, including the First Ward seat held by Rob Chenoweth, the Second Ward seat held by Lisa Severino, the Third Ward seat held by Erika Plishka, the Fourth Ward seat held by Nanci Bross-Fregonara and the Fifth Ward seat held by David Parker.

Council members serve four-year terms. All of the five council members have filed for re-election. Chenoweth, Severino and Plishka run unopposed.

Fourth Ward incumbent Bross-Fregonara faces a challenge from Jon Clingerman, who teaches the mill and cabinetry high school program at the Randolph County Technical Center in Elkins.

Meanwhile, Fifth Ward incumbent Parker faces opposition from challenger Burley Woods, who has served as the director of executive service for the Nellis Group Enterprise, and the director of internal sales for Legacy Elevated.

On the Fourth Ward ballot, challenger Clingerman is listed first on the ballot, while Bross-Fregonara is listed second.

On the Fifth Ward ballot, Parker is first on the ballot, while challenger Woods is listed second.

There is no race for mayor in the 2025 election, according to the Elkins City Hall website, due to the 2021 charter change, which states that the mayor of Elkins now has a four-year term limit.

Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco’s current term, which began July 1, 2023, will not expire until 2027.

For more information about the election, visit cityofelkinswv.com/2025-election.