West Virginia House District 50 race set for Democrat, independent and write‑ins after Republican withdrawal

Former delegate Elliott Pritt withdrew from the ballot for West Virginia’s 50th House district after being arrested on allegations of grooming an underage girl. A 2024 state law bars parties from replacing a candidate who withdraws, so Republicans cannot name a replacement.

The contest will now be between Democratic nominee Matthew Anderson, a longtime special‑education teacher, and independent Tom Louisos, a former Republican and former Fayette County commissioner. Additional write‑in candidates can file a certificate of announcement by September 15. Deputy Secretary of State David Cook said the State Election Commission will not revisit the disqualification request because the withdrawal occurred before the scheduled meeting.