West Virginia: ACLU requests information from county clerks on online voter registration | Charleston Gazette-Mail

The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia filed requests this week with the clerks of Cabell and Kanawha counties for information about their handling of the online voter registration system. On May 3, the same day it was filed, the state Supreme Court rejected an emergency petition from the ACLU, which was filed over the refusal by Kanawha Clerk Vera McCormick and Cabell Clerk Karen Cole to accept online voter registration in advance of the May 10 primary election. Attorneys with the ACLU argue that the clerks can’t reject the online voter registrations without violating the equal protection clause in the state and U.S. constitutions, and that denying online registration threatens the integrity of a statewide election. “Right now, we’re evaluating our options and deciding how best to go forward,” said Jamie Lynn Crofts, lead attorney for the ACLU. “We don’t currently have any lawsuit pending but we want to keep track of what’s going on and perhaps file another lawsuit in the future.”

West Virginia: Voting problems in Kanawha County may be growing | Charleston Gazette-Mail

The issue of people voting in the wrong delegate district may be bigger than the Kanawha County Clerk originally thought. Vera McCormick’s staff was able to identify 10 people who originally voted in the wrong district — one in Precinct 416, two in Precinct 175, five in Precinct 403 and two in Precinct 277. The problem comes from voters being placed in precincts that don’t correspond with the delegate district in which they live. The clerk’s office has arranged it so that when people from affected areas come in to vote, they will receive a ballot for the correct delegate district. But the problem may be bigger than what McCormick originally stated.

West Virginia: High court rejects suit over online voter registration | The Herald Dispatch

A lawsuit filed Tuesday against clerks in Cabell and Kanawha counties questioning whether or not they had the right to deny online voter registration was rejected by the West Virginia Supreme Court later Tuesday afternoon. Cabell County Clerk Karen Cole said she received an official statement Tuesday afternoon from the West Virginia Supreme Court saying the petition filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia had been rejected. … The online registration was rolled out at the end of September after the Legislature passed a bill in 2013 allowing it. To register online, including changing an address or party affiliation, residents must have a driver’s license and the last four digits of their Social Security number. A person’s signature is then pulled from the Division of Motor Vehicles website to authorize the changes. Majestro said these steps provide more than enough security measures to ensure voter fraud does not take place.

West Virginia: State May Become 3rd Automatic Voter Signup State | Associated Press

A push to automatically sign up voters that began with new laws in Oregon and California will soon likely hit a third, notably less liberal state — West Virginia. The proposed change has taken a less-than-conventional route to the governor’s desk. After condemning a Republican voter ID bill as the “voter suppression act,” Democrats offered an amendment to include automatic registration when people get driver’s licenses or IDs. The Republican-led Legislature accepted it without much resistance. The reception was much cooler on the West Coast — only one Republican in California and none in Oregon voted for similar automatic registration setups. And in New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar proposal cleared by Democrats last year.

West Virginia: Senate passes voter ID bill | Register Herald

The State Senate passed a bill Friday that will require voters to present identification before they can cast a ballot in the 2018 election. HB 4013 passed the upper chamber on a 20-14 vote, with two Democrats supporting the measure. The bill differs from the original version which required photo identification at the polls. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary amended the bill to include 15 different forms of identification, including a voter registration card, pay stub, SNAP benefits card, TANF card, credit or debit card and a utility bill. If poll workers recognize the voter, no identification is required, the bill says.

West Virginia: House Amends Voter ID Bill | WV Public Broadcasting

The House of Delegates will vote on a contentious piece of legislation Friday; a bill that would require West Virginians to show a form of identification at their polling place. But on Thursday, the bill saw a change on the floor. House Bill 4013, the voter ID bill, would require West Virginia voters to show a photo ID or some kind of other official documentation to prove their identity before voting at the polls. A voter without proper documentation will be allowed to vote on a provisional ballot.

West Virginia: House Judiciary Committee moves controversial voter ID bill forward | WV MetroNews

The House Judiciary Committee moved a controversial bill forward Wednesday afternoon that would require a photo ID at polling places. The 15-8 party line vote was met with strong opinions on both sides during public hearing, with GOP supporters maintaining the measure is necessary to prevent fraud. Democrats contend that the bill would only hurt senior citizens who may not possess a photo ID. “It’s clear to me that this isn’t about voter fraud. This is about voter suppression; that’s exactly what this is about,” said Del. Shawn Fluharty (D-Ohio).

West Virginia: State Supreme Court Rules Republican Will Be Appointed to Senate | West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Republicans will maintain their majority in the state Senate after the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued an order Friday morning. The order calls on Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to appoint a Republican to replace former Sen. Daniel Hall who resigned this month. Hall was a member of the GOP when he resigned the seat, but was elected to the chamber as a Democrat. He switched party affiliations after midterm elections in 2014, giving Republicans an 18-16 majority in the Senate.

West Virginia: Register to vote online soon | Associated Press

West Virginians will soon be able to register to vote online through the Secretary of State’s website. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant made the announcement Tuesday at BridgeValley Community and Technical College in South Charleston as part of National Voter Registration Month. “This is going to add accessibility for eligible voters in West Virginia,” said Tennant, following a news conference. It will be as simple as going to a computer, a smart phone or tablet and logging onto www.wvsos.com, according to Tennant.

West Virginia: Changes to come during the 2016 election process | WV Metro News

here will be several changes during the 2016 election process in West Virginia. For the first time, West Virginia voters will choose their judges during next May’s primary election without any indications of political party affiliations on the ballots. The state law allowing for nonpartisan judicial elections officially took effect in June. The change will apply to elections, by division, for the state Supreme Court along with circuit court, family court and magistrate court. “That’ll be a big change for the voters. Now they’re not in the bulk of the ballot on the front where it’s partisan races. They actually shift to the back as non-partisan races, such as school board and different items like that,” said Putnam County Clerk Brian Ward, who spoke to MetroNews during a statewide election planning conference Monday in Charleston.

West Virginia: DMV partners with Secretary of State to offer electronic voter registration | Associated Press

The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, in cooperation with the secretary of state, announced Thursday that a statewide electronic voter registration program has been installed at each of the 24 DMV regional office locations. Customers may now electronically register to vote when they visit any DMV regional office for the purpose of issuing or renewing a driver’s license or identification card.

West Virginia: Lawmakers OKs bill nixing straight party ticket voting | Associated Press

State lawmakers have approved a push to remove the option for voters to cast straight party-line ballots by checking one box. On Tuesday, the Republican-led House of Delegates voted 87-13 to prohibit the practice. Only Democrats opposed the bill. The Senate cleared a similar proposal last month. Currently, West Virginia voters can select every candidate from a single party simply by picking the straight-party option.

West Virginia: Senate OKs election bill for potential Manchin gov bid | Associated Press

The West Virginia Senate has approved legislation aimed at blocking U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin from handpicking his successor if he runs for governor in 2016. The measure approved Sunday on an 18-14 vote would require special elections, not appointments, in cases like Manchin’s. Currently, if Manchin reclaims his old job, the Democrat will have served enough of his Senate term that he, as governor, could name the next senator to serve through 2018.

West Virginia: State Senate Repeals Straight Ticket Voting | West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Senators approved a bill Tuesday that repeals straight party voting, a ballot provision that allows a voter to vote for all candidates from one party instead of considering individual races. Both Democratic and Republican Senators stood to speak on behalf of Senate Bill 249, some saying the elimination of straight ticket voting requires voters to consider each race rather than voting on a partisan basis. “I think it’s fair to say we have benefited from this over the past couple election cycles,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmicahel said, referring to the Republican Party’s take over of the legislature, “but that’s not a reason to continue a process.”

West Virginia: Bill ending straight-ticket voting could go to House Tuesday | WV Metro News

The bill that would end straight-ticket voting in West Virginia will get a final vote from the state Senate Tuesday before moving to the state House of Delegates for consideration during the ongoing Regular Legislative Session. George Carenbauer, a former state Democratic Party chair, said on Monday’s MetroNews “Talkline” it’s long past time for the change. “I’m all in favor of things that make it easier and more accessible for people to vote, but I also think the voter has a responsibility to really know what he or she is doing when they go into the voting booth,” he said.

West Virginia: GOP wants election changes in possible Manchin gov bid | The Charleston Gazette

As U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin considers a 2016 return bid for governor, Republicans hope to block West Virginia’s most prominent Democrat from handpicking his Senate successor for two years. Should he reclaim his old job, Manchin will have served enough of his Senate term that the governor — potentially him in 2017 — could name the next senator through 2018. The appointment would guarantee that the Democratic Party holds a crucial seat for at least another two years. After a bruising 2014 election, Manchin is in the Senate minority for the first time in his short tenure. In his state, he’s the last Democrat standing in Congress. Big Republican gains also shook up the statehouse. With majorities in the House and Senate for the first time in more than eight decades, Republicans have the numbers to stymie Manchin’s ability to name a potential replacement.

West Virginia: Senate bill would eliminate straight-ticket voting | WV MetroNews

Straight-party voting would no longer be an option in West Virginia under a bill moving through the state Senate. “The right to vote is so important and this freedom that we have to elect people who will govern and represent us is so important,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Charles Trump (R-Morgan, 15), one of the bill’s five sponsors. “It’s not unreasonable to expect that voters should actually look through the ballot and consider the candidates in both parties, all the parties, for each office.” According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, West Virginia is one of 11 states still offering straight-ticket voting, also called straight-party voting. The others are Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

West Virginia: Justices say replacement candidate should be on ballot | West Virginia Record

The state Supreme Court has ruled that a replacement House of Delegates candidate will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot in Kanawha County. The Justices ruled Wednesday that Marie Sprouse-McDavid should be on the ballot for the 35th House district after sitting Delegate Suzette Raines withdrew as a candidate this summer. The Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee and Sprouse-McDavid had filed a petition with the court last week to hear the case. Because of the impending election, the case was heard Tuesday and ruled upon quickly. In Wednesday’s decision, the Justices rule that the KCREC “has demonstrated sufficient grounds to warrant issuance of the requested writ of mandamus.”

West Virginia: State Election Commission criticized in Supreme Court arguments | WV MetroNews

Members of the state Supreme Court openly questioned Tuesday why the State Election Commission didn’t consider a 1992 opinion about ballot vacancies when it decided to keep a spot open on the Kanawha County ballot. At issue is whether the Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee should be allowed to replace Del. Suzette Raines on the ballot in the 35th District delegate race after Raines withdrew from the race. The SEC decided Aug. 13 Raines’ reasons to get out of the race didn’t meet the standard needed to replace her. Republicans are challenging the ruling. The case was argued for 45-minutes before the High Court Tuesday afternoon.

West Virginia: Clerical Error Leaves Unopposed Candidate Off Ballot and Puts Another Person Who Was Not Running On | Associated Press

With no opposition for his city council seat in a small town on West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle, Curtis Mele figured his ticket to a third consecutive term was secure. Instead, a clerical error left his name off the ballot, and another councilman was listed as the candidate in his district in Benwood. Now, officials in the town of 1,600 are scrambling for a solution, and Mele has hired an attorney to contest the election. “It might be an honest mistake,” Mele said Thursday. “But that’s a mistake that should never happen.” Mele, whose name didn’t appear anywhere on the May 13 ballot, was one of four unopposed council members. The responsibility for Benwood’s ballot information falls on the office of City Clerk Judy Hunt. “She dropped the ball, which is now costing me,” Mele said.

West Virginia: Voters getting misleading info from group, Tennant says | The Charleston Gazette

Voters in at least eight West Virginia counties have been mailed “misleading and confusing” material that may make them incorrectly believe they aren’t eligible to vote in next month’s election, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant said Tuesday. The leaflets — mailed by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation — warn voters that if they do not update their voter registration, they may lose their right to vote in the upcoming primary election on May 13. The mailings included voter registration cards and prepaid return envelopes addressed to county clerks. Tuesday was the last day to register to vote for the May 13 primary, and a Tennant spokesman said the mailing could convince people whose voter registrations are perfectly valid that they aren’t allowed to vote.

West Virginia: Thousands of voters asked to confirm registration | Logan Banner

Thousands of voters in West Virginia will soon receive a postcard in the mail asking them if their address has changed and if they want to remain a registered voter. There are about 1.2 million registered voters in West Virginia, and county clerks will be mailing more than 335,000 notifications to voters who may have changed their address or who have been idle for two federal election cycles. “The Secretary of State’s Office takes our election process and our voter registration process very seriously, and we are committed to protecting the integrity of those processes and keeping our voter rolls clean,” Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant said. “We, along with the county clerks, are undertaking this state mandated process to ensure that our voter rolls are accurate. Most of the people receiving notifications will just have to fill out the notification and send it back.”

West Virginia: State Election Commission to certify new voting system | The Charleston Gazette

For the first time in eight years, the State Election Commission is expected to certify a new voting system for use in state elections when it meets Friday afternoon. Commissioners will be asked to certify the EVS 5.0.0.0 system manufactured by Elections Systems & Software of Omaha, Neb., for use in elections statewide. Jake Glance, spokesman for the Secretary of State’s office, said a key advance in the new system is that it incorporates a high-speed digital scan central ballot counter, which can record and tabulate ballots faster than optical-scan ballot counters currently in use. “It will make the counting process faster,” he said Thursday. “It’s all about speed and accuracy.”

West Virginia: Funding an issue for Supreme Court candidate public financing; program to have $1.5M balance | Associated Press

Pleased that a public financing experiment for Supreme Court candidates is now a permanent program, West Virginia’s State Election Commission also noted Thursday that it will only have an estimated $1.5 million to offer when a court seat is next on the ballot in 2016. The commission voted to approve proposed revisions to the program’s rules, following passage of legislation expanding what had been a one-election pilot. But commission members were also mindful that the recently concluded session did not include additional funding or revenue sources for the program. Lawmakers instead took $1.5 million from the program’s balance, after Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin requested it for other budgetary needs. That leaves $1.1 million, while the state treasurer is scheduled to provide an additional $400,000 by July 2015, Timothy Leach, a lawyer for Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, said during Thursday’s meeting.

West Virginia: Secretary of State prepares for voter ID bill push | Charleston Daily Mail

After 35 days of the legislative session, there’s been more talk in the West Virginia House of Delegates on guns and pepperoni rolls than voter identification laws. With several bills before both legislative chambers, though, that could change at any minute, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant said. “The way I look at it is, in the beginning, even before the session started, I read in the paper and I was asked questions when folks were saying that this was going to be their priority bill,” Tennant said Wednesday. “When this was something to add burdens, to add more restrictions, more burdens to voters, that was going to be their priority.”

West Virginia: Bill Would Eliminate Straight-Ticket Voting | Wheeling News-Register

Delegate Ryan Ferns has authored a bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting in West Virginia – a measure he said has the support of most leadership in the House of Delegates. Ferns, D-Ohio, said he dropped off his bill to the House clerk’s office Friday, and he expects it to be assigned a bill number and officially introduced today or Tuesday. “Straight-ticket voting encourages uneducated voting,” Ferns said. “We’re telling people if they don’t want to go through the read on a ballot, they have the option of voting for just one party. At the very least, voters should have to read the names for each candidate on the ballot.” …  West Virginia is one of 15 states to offer straight-ticket voting – the process of electing a party’s entire slate of candidates with just one marking, according to information compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Neighboring Pennsylvania and Kentucky have straight-ticket voting, as do Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

West Virginia: Early voting report indicates lower cost and wait time | News and Sentinel

Wood County Clerk Jamie Six told county commissioners approximately $1,200 was saved by offering four community early vote sites for the primary and general elections in 2012. In addition to the usual early vote site provided at the Judge Black Courthouse Annex, this year, there were four community early voting sites offered. Those sites were located at the Williamstown and Vienna city buildings, and Mineral Wells and Lubeck Volunteer fire departments. Six explained if the county had to provide additional pollworkers at the larger precincts election day to cut down on lines at the polling places, it would have cost $8,400. The cost to provide five pollworkers at each of the four new early vote locations cost $7,292.

West Virginia: Debate rages over whether ID laws hurt or help election process | The Journal

Many voters who showed up to the polls last November did not think to bring along a photo ID, nor did they need to. That could change with West Virginia’s upcoming legislative session, during which voter ID laws are expected to be discussed. According to a recent report by the Associated Press, a GOP proposal would mandate voters present photo ID at polls and help those who don’t have such identification to obtain one.

West Virginia: GOP supports voter ID law | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

West Virginia is preparing for debate on its own voter identification bill this year, amid a changing political climate in the state and circumstances that differ from election fights in Pennsylvania. On Nov. 6, Republican lawmakers in the state capital saw the biggest surge in their ranks since the 1920s, with the addition of 11 new members to the state House and the ouster of the incumbent Democratic attorney general. Party leaders are hoping that momentum, when mixed with the notorious history of political mischief in the state, could lead to adopting a voter ID bill similar to one approved by the GOP-controlled Pennsylvania Legislature last year.

West Virginia: State GOP to make Voter ID an issue in 2013 | www.wtov9.com

Armed with their largest share of the House of Delegates in decades, West Virginia Republicans plan to resume their push to require voters to show photo identification at the polls, adding the state to a growing group that expect to debate the topic this year. House Minority Leader Tim Armstead said the GOP proposal would mandate a photo ID while helping those who don’t have such identification to obtain one. The bill is expected during the 2013 regular session of the Legislature, which begins Feb. 13. “Requiring identification when voting is a simple step that we can take to make our elections fairer and to ensure that the outcome of our elections actually reflects the will of our citizens,” said Armstead, a Kanawha County lawyer. “People are required to show identification to cash a check, to enter many sporting and other events, and to open bank accounts.”