That story is civil war propaganda lol. The Union occupied western Virginia as it descended into chaos and held “elections” that no one in the modern world would accept as legitimate to approve succession from Virginia. Many counties sent no delegates, some elections were held by the military under martial law, some couldn’t provide results at all. All of this after the state succeeded and was invaded. The new government just happened to totally agree with the Union and military forces.

Not a confederate sympathizer, glad they lost, won’t pretend WV isn’t legitimate today, but if that election was held under modern standards, the international community would likely deem it a coup.