MCREC Points to Longtime Practice in Push to Reopen GOP Primary

Committee cites long-term voter registration trends in Monongalia County and across West Virginia as justification for restoring unaffiliated voter access.

As the West Virginia Republican Party prepares to meet on January 10, 2026, the Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee (MCREC) is urging the State Executive Committee to restore access for unaffiliated/independent (“no party”) voters to participate in the Republican primary, unless and until the State Executive Committee takes further action.

For nearly four decades, West Virginia Republicans have allowed unaffiliated voters to participate in GOP primary elections. That practice has been in place since 1986 and coincided with the Republican Party’s growth from a minority party to a statewide governing majority. MCREC believes this long-standing history matters as the party evaluates whether a recently adopted closed-primary rule strengthens or weakens Republican prospects in the upcoming 2026 cycle.

MCREC’s position is grounded in clear, long-term voter registration data. December voter registration snapshots show that unaffiliated voters have consistently represented a large and durable share of the West Virginia electorate for nearly a decade, growing from approximately 21 percent statewide in 2016 to roughly 25 percent by the end of 2025. Statewide unaffiliated registration now exceeds 305,000 voters.

In Monongalia County, unaffiliated registration has followed the same trajectory. December 2025 totals show more than 19,000 unaffiliated voters — nearly 29 percent of all registered voters in the county — a share that has steadily increased over time and mirrors trends seen across the state’s largest population centers.

“Nearly 19,100 voters in Monongalia County are registered with no party affiliation today, and that number continues to grow,” said Dale Sparks, Chair of the Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee. “For almost 40 years, West Virginia Republicans welcomed these voters into our primary process — and during that time, our party didn’t weaken, it grew. Closing the primary now shuts out a large and reliable part of the conservative coalition that helps us win elections.”

MCREC formally adopted a resolution in December 2025 urging the State Executive Committee to reconsider the 2024 decision to close the Republican primary beginning in 2026. That resolution reflects long-standing county party principles, including commitments in supporting grassroots participation, voter choice, and broad civic engagement.

This is a Statewide Issue, Not a County-Specific One

Monongalia County is not an outlier. December voter registration data from 2016 through 2025 show that unaffiliated voters remain a stable or growing share of the electorate across the counties that drive statewide election outcomes, including Kanawha, Berkeley, Wood, Jefferson, Cabell, and Monongalia counties. These population centers account for a disproportionate share of turnout in both primaries and general elections.

“Voter registration data show that the counties which drive statewide election outcomes — including West Virginia’s largest and fastest-growing population centers — are not experiencing a decline in unaffiliated voters, underscoring that this is a durable and statewide trend the party must address,” Sparks said.

“Unaffiliated voters have been a stable part of West Virginia’s electorate for years, especially in the counties that decide statewide elections,” said Paula Martinelli, Vice Chairwoman of the Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee. “Keeping the Republican primary open isn’t about changing our values — it’s about winning with the coalition that has helped build Republican success in this state.”

Why Revisit the Decision Now

MCREC recognizes that the State Executive Committee voted in January 2024 to move to a closed Republican primary beginning in 2026. However, that decision has not yet been tested in a competitive election cycle. With the May 2026 primary approaching, MCREC believes the party has both the authority and responsibility to reassess whether the rule strengthens participation, unity, and nominee legitimacy — or whether it unnecessarily narrows the electorate.

Excluding roughly one-quarter of the electorate from the nominating process risks lower participation, weaker buy-in, and avoidable division heading into the general election.

Addressing Common Concerns

Some have argued that reopening the primary could invite strategic voting or that unaffiliated voters should simply register Republican. Long-term data do not support that assumption. Despite significant partisan realignment over the past decade, unaffiliated registration has remained stable and grown as a share of the electorate, indicating that independence is a durable voter preference rather than a temporary holding status.

“Our volunteers, donors, and grassroots supporters include many unaffiliated voters who have helped build Republican success at every level,” said John Sedoski, treasurer of the Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee. “Treating them as outsiders to the primary process ignores the reality of who shows up, who does the work, and who helps us win.”

MCREC emphasizes that restoring access for unaffiliated voters does not change candidate standards, party governance, or the authority of the State Executive Committee. It simply restores a long-standing practice while preserving the committee’s ability to revisit the issue in the future. 

As the January 10 meeting approaches, MCREC encourages State Executive Committee members to weigh both the data and the history — nearly 40 years of open Republican primaries — and to allow the full body to decide this question following open debate and a recorded vote.

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Download 2016-2025 Unaffiliated Voter Trends