Two-term Kanawha County State Delegate and Charleston attorney Elliott Pritt has thrown his hat into the ring for Secretary of State in the 2024 race. He recently served as the Majority Deputy Whip in the House of Delegates.
The current incumbent West Virginia Secretary of State, Republican Mac Warner, is running for Governor in 2024 — which leaves the constitutional cabinet position open in the next general election.
Pritt announced on WOWK-TV Monday, with remarks that complimented Warner’s recent election management regime. Mac Warner, a retired naval officer, has been popular and relatively scandal-free, earning a reputation for competent management of the State’s incorporation and business license data and statewide voting systems. Warner trails New Jersey native Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and popular Huntington auto dealer Chris Miller in early polling in the Governor’s race. Most observers expect Governor Jim Justice to declare for the U.S. Senate seat held by Joe Manchin soon.
“I think it is incredibly important that we build upon the momentum that we’ve seen with election integrity over the past few years. I think it’s a very, very important issue nationwide. And I think we can really build upon those successes that we’ve seen in recent years,” Pritt said, stressing fair and open polling as his main priority in the WOWK televised announcement.
Former state official Ken Reed from Martinsburg has already entered the race for Secretary of State, but no Democrats have filed.
Chris Pritt was born in Stuart (Patrick County) in southwestern Virginia, and he earned degrees at West Virginia Wesleyan College and Virginia Tech before a law degree from Ohio Northern University. He practices professionally as ‘Pritt & Pritt’ with his wife Kelly, in Charleston, West Virginia.
In the recent legislative session Chris Pritt sponsored a bill to declare all social security benefits tax exempt, and a bill allowing religious exemptions for vaccinations.
(Delegate Chris Pritt is not to be confused with Delegate Elliott Pritt — the legislator who changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican last week. DSC.)