ELECTORAL VOTES 5

2012 ELECTION Likely Republican

ABOUT
WEST VIRGINIA

2010 Census Reapportionment: West Virginia will remain at 5 electoral votes for the 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.



West Virginia, which seceded from Virginia (which itself had seceded from the Union) during the Civil War, became its own state in June 1863. It and Nevada were the only states admitted during the war, although Kansas became a state in early 1861, just a couple months before the hostilities began. Although the state has gone Republican in the last 3 elections, including a 56% to 43% win by John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008, the state is primarily Democratic at the local and state levels. Of the presidential elections from statehood through 2008, voters went Democratic 20 out of 37 times. Much of this back –and forth (at least in recent history) can be attributed to the shifting views of the large blue-collar vote in the state. While expected to lean “red” in 2012, West Virginia could become a swing state, depending on the eventual match-up.