Del. Elliott Pritt, R-Fayette, was arrested July 22, 2026, and faces one count of enticement of a minor. (Photo courtesy of Carter County Detention Center)
A West Virginia House leader has asked Gov. Patrick Morrisey to call lawmakers into a special session to consider what to do with Del.’s seat. Elliott Pritt is to be dealt with after his arrest.
Pritt, R-Fayette, could face expulsion from the House.
A public school teacher, Pritt was accused Wednesday with the seduction of a 15-year-old girl. He is being held in a Kentucky prison and has not yet resigned his seat.
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, and the state Republican Party have called on Pritt to resign immediately. Pritt was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 as a Democrat switched to the Republican Party in 2023.
Should Pritt choose not to resign, Del asked. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, Morrisey, to exploit his constitutional authority to call a special session.for the confined purpose of enabling the House of Representatives to consider the status of Delegate Pritt’s continued service in the House.”
“The House of Representatives should have the opportunity to promptly address these extraordinary circumstances in a manner that reflects the seriousness of the allegations and the responsibility we owe the citizens of West Virginia,” Worrell wrote in one letter on Thursday.
According to a federal statement Criminal complaintThe family of a 15-year-old girl reported that the child was sexually abused by Pritt.
The complaint states that in 2024, when she was in eighth grade, Pritt communicated with the girl through the online game Roblox and later through Snapchat. Pritt later demanded explicit photos of the girl and began a physical relationship with her. He asked the victim to meet him in his classroom at Oak Hill High School to engage in sexual activity at least five to 10 times, the complaint states.
“I believe the appropriate course of action is for Del. Pritt to immediately resign his seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates,” Worrell wrote in his letter to the governor. “…While Del. Pritt is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the full protection of due process afforded by our justice system, the allegations have raised serious concerns about maintaining the trust of the people we represent.”
Worrell, chairman of the House Health Committee, has proposed a special session starting Aug. 10, when lawmakers already plan to gather at the state Capitol in Charleston for interim sessions. For taxpayers, the additional cost would be minimal, Worrell said.
“… Allowing the House of Representatives to consider this matter without unnecessary delay will demonstrate our commitment to accountability, transparency and maintaining the integrity of the legislative institution,” Worrell said.
He added that his motion was not intended to prejudge the outcome of the pending criminal case.
A number of other lawmakers – Republicans and Democrats – called for Pritt to resign following news of his arrest.
Hanshaw didn’t mince his words in a statement Thursday afternoon, saying: “What Elliott Pritt is accused of is shocking, abhorrent and disappointing in every way…I call on Elliott Pritt, for the sake of his family and the people of his district, to spare his students and colleagues at all levels the ongoing embarrassment and distraction and to resign his elected office as quickly as possible.”
Pritt has been relieved of official duties in the House, Hanshaw said, including his role as deputy majority leader.
State Schools Superintendent Michele Blatt announced Thursday that she had suspended Pritt’s teaching license due to the charges against him.
“Teachers enjoy a position of public trust with the school systems in which they teach and the communities they serve,” Blatt wrote in a statement. “The allegation that Mr. Pritt lured a minor to attend Fayette County Schools, the district in which Mr. Pritt was a teacher, is shocking and disturbing.”
Blatt added that the state commissioner would permanently revoke his certification if Pritt is ultimately convicted or pleads guilty to those charges.
“Our greatest concern is the student who was allegedly seduced and abused by Mr. Pritt,” Blatt said. “The West Virginia Department of Education fully supports Fayette County School Superintendent (David) Warvel’s action to suspend Mr. Pritt without pay, and the WVDE will support the Fayette County education community during this difficult time.”
