STATE SENATE - UNEXPIRED - DISTRICT 17
State Senate District 17; West Virginia
My vote power
Normal
Election date
November 3, 2026 · General election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Normal · 63 out of 100
This district covers a large share of its state, so each vote carries about average weight — like a vote in a statewide race. About 99,112 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(1,778,373 ÷ 99,112) ÷ ln(50,000) = 63.34, measured against a statewide vote in WV (grades: 66+ high, 33+ normal, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
Normal representation → My vote power: Normal.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information.
About this office
- Voting on how much you pay in state taxes
- Voting on how much money your local public schools get
- Voting on which roads and highways get built or repaired
Affects: AI Regulation, Healthcare Affordability, Environment and Public Health,
Candidates
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Senator for Kanawha County's 17th district, appointed in February 2025, and chair of the Senate Confirmations Committee. A Charleston lawyer and West Virginia University law graduate, she served more than 12 years as a Charleston municipal judge.
Records: Environment and Public Health 5 against, Labor Rights 3 against, Anti-Corruption 1 against,
Democratic · declared
A South Charleston lawyer with more than 40 years of legal experience who was elected the city's mayor at 29 and served until retiring in 2007. A Vietnam veteran and Bronze Star recipient, he emphasizes retiree benefits, utility costs and public schools.
Records: Government Efficiency 3 against
Source: candidates.wvsos.gov