At first, many western Virginians tried to stop Virginia from leaving the Union by voting against secession on May 23. When that vote confirmed Virginia's secession, Union soldiers pushed Confederate troops out of both the Kanawha Valley and northwestern Virginia, allowing the state's founders to deliberate in peace. This was unlike other divided places like East Tennessee, where Union supporters had to hide or run away. Western Virginia was the most secure place for pro-Union politicians to meet in a Confederate state.