With ongoing winter weather and a looming deadline, West Virginia’s secretary of state is encouraging those considering running for public office to not wait until the last minute to file.

The deadline to file for statewide office in West Virginia’s May primary election is 11:59 p.m., Saturday, while county elections will have until noon, Saturday, and municipal offices at close of business Friday.

Filing for statewide offices is done through the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, while county elections go through their respective County Clerk’s office. Municipal candidates file through their city or town offices.

“With the seriousness of the weather, candidates should consider all of their options to be sure that they file before the deadline,” said West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner. “And if they use the U.S. Mail, they should probably mail their forms and fees no later than this coming Wednesday.”

Warner advised that mail dropped off at a post office one day may not be postmarked by the USPS on that day. He advised candidates to visit a post office while it is open and a postal worker is present to affix a postmark manually while the candidate is there. Candidate filings postmarked after Saturday, or those with the wrong filing fee, cannot be accepted by law.

Those who have filed for office, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, by 4 p.m. Tuesday are:

U.S. Senate: Republican candidates Shelley Moore Capito, of Charleston; Alexander Gaaserud, of Parkersburg; Janet McNulty, of Martinsburg; David Purkey, of Fairmont; and Tom Willis, of Martinsburg; and Democrat candidates Thornton Cooper, of South Charleston; Rachel Fetty Anderson, of Morgantown; Rio Phillips, of Charleston; and Zachary Shrewbury, of Princeton.

U.S. House of Representatives, District 2: Democrat Steven Wendelin, of Lost City; and Republican Riley Moore, of Harpers Ferry.

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, Division 1: Todd A. Kirby, Beckley; H.L. “Kirk” Kirkpatrick, Beckley; and Gerald Titus, Charleston.

West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, Division 2: Tom Ewing, of Edmond; and Bill Flanigan, of Wheeling.

Judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals: Jim Douglas of Charleston; and Dan Greear of South Charleston.

State Senate District 1: Laura Wakim Chapman of Wheeling; and Joe Eddy of Wheeling, both Republicans.

House of Delegates District 1: Republican Pat McGeehan, of Chester.

House of Delegates District 2: Republican Mark Zatezalo of Weirton.

House of Delegates District 3: Democrat Mike Robinson of Wellsburg; and Republican Jimmy Willis of Bethany.

Brooke County Magistrate District 1: Sarah E. Delong of Wellsburg;

Brooke County Magistrate District 2: Michelle Heaton of Wellsburg

Brooke County Commission: Kevin Himmelrick, Republican, of Colliers;

Brooke County Board of Education: Pete Bolock, of Weirton; Kristin Newton, of Follansbee; and Ted Pauls, of Bethany.

Hancock County Magistrate Division 2: Matt Harvey of New Cumberland;

Hancock County Commission: Eron Chek, Republican, of Weirton;

Conervation District Supervisor: Jim Anderson of New Cumberland.

More information on who has to file, where, and for what offices, can be found at GoVoteWV.com.

Candidates seeking more information should contact the WVSOS Elections Division at (304) 558-6000.