The 2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election was a special election held on October 4, 2011 to fill the office of the West Virginia Governor, which became vacant upon the resignation of Joe Manchin, who resigned after he won a U.S. Senate special election. Lieutenant Governor and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, first in the line of succession to the Governorship, subsequently became acting governor. On January 18, 2011, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that a special election for the Governorship must be held so a new governor can be in place by November 15, 2011, exactly one year after Manchin resigned.^[1] The primary election was held on May 14. Tomblin and Republican Bill Maloney won their respective primaries.^[2]

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2011 West Virginia gubernatorial special election

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Nominee Earl Ray Tomblin Bill Maloney Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 149,202 141,656 Percentage 49.6% 47.0%

County results Tomblin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Maloney:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Earl Ray Tomblin (acting) Democratic Elected Governor Earl Ray Tomblin Democratic

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Tomblin defeated William Maloney by a slim margin, notably winning over 90% of the vote in his home county of Logan County. Tomblin was declared the winner of the election by the Associated Press on October 4, 2011 and was inaugurated on November 13, 2011.^[3][4] With a margin of 2.5%, the special election was the closest race of the 2011 gubernatorial election cycle. Tomblin was re-elected in 2012 in a rematch with Maloney.