Election season is officially here.
In addition to the Sherrod Brown vs. John Hustead commercials that never seemed to stop, I heard my first local campaign commercial this morning. I just might have to get my XM subscription back.
If you have lived here for any length of time, you know what comes next. The surveys are starting. The signs are lining the roads. The commercials will fill our televisions. The mailboxes will be stuffed. Our social media feeds will become a little more interesting, and maybe a little more contentious.
Beneath all the noise lies something I hope we never take for granted. We are West Virginians.
We live in communities where people still wave as they pass by on the road. Where neighbors show up when someone needs a hand. Where we turn out for a ballgame, a benefit, a church supper, a steak fry, or a local festival because we believe that being part of something matters.
Voting is part of that same spirit. It is our opportunity to have a voice in shaping the future of the place we call home.
Whether you live along the Ohio River, in the Eastern Panhandle, in the mountains of southern West Virginia, or somewhere in between, the decisions made by those we elect will affect our communities, our families, and the generations who come after us.
So, let’s not let the noise discourage us. Let’s not let cynicism make us believe our voices don’t matter.
Let’s not let political differences divide us from the people we will still sit beside at church, cheer for at a ballgame, work with, and call neighbors long after the campaigns end and the signs come down.
Instead, let’s take every opportunity to get informed. Ask the hard questions, listen to the answers, and agree to disagree respectfully.
Most importantly, get out there and choose the people we believe will best represent our communities, and then let’s respect our fellow West Virginians’ right to make their own choices. Above all, let’s vote because this is our state. These are our communities, and by voting, we have the opportunity to help shape what comes next.
Election Day is more than a date on the calendar. It is one of those uniquely American privileges that generations before us fought for, sacrificed for, and worked to protect. We owe it to those who fought not to take it for granted.
We owe it to ourselves and to the West Virginians who will come after us.
During the 2026 primary election, slightly more than 21% of registered voters cast ballots. We need to do better. It is our duty to be informed and to vote.
So, West Virginia, buckle up, baby. For some, it will be a long five weeks, but we can’t change the clock or the calendar. The campaign season is here. We may as well make the most of it and take advantage of every opportunity to learn about candidates and their stances on the issues that will affect us. It is important to participate, but most of all, let’s get out and vote.
When it is all over, let’s remember that we are still neighbors, friends, West Virginians, and together in this beautiful state.
