Recently turn 18? Maybe you want to change your party or your voter registration address? Make sure you are eligible to vote in this next election. Take a few minutes and complete the voter registration form so you can Rock the Vote!
17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election can pre-register to vote. On your 18th birthday, your voter registration application will be fully processed.
West Virginia does not offer the opportunity to register to vote on Election Day. However, registered voters may update their address at the polls on Election Day. An out-of-precinct voter will have to vote using a provisional ballot, but will not be turned away.
Automatic Voter Registration was passed in 2016, but the program has yet to be implemented.
West Virginia does not require registrants to live in the state for a specific amount of time before registering to vote.
When submitting a voter registration application, no additional documents are required for your registration to be processed. The state confirms your citizenship and eligibility through the information provided on your registration form, such as your state-issued license/ID number or the last 4 digits of your SSN.
In West Virginia, the voting rights of convicted persons are automatically restored upon completion of one's sentence. Returning citizens must re-register to vote after their rights are restored.
West Virginia is a member-state of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and participates in the Interstate Crosscheck program to compare voter rolls with other states for maintenance purposes.
Voter ID is required to vote in West Virginia in person on Election Day or during the Early Voting period.
Acceptable forms of non-photo identification include:
- Voter registration card
- Medicare card or Social Security card
- Birth certificate
- WV hunting or fishing license
- WV SNAP ID card
- WV TANF program ID card
- WV Medicaid ID card
- Bank or debit card
- Utility bill or bank statement issued within six months of the date of the election
- Health insurance card issued to the voter
Acceptable forms of photo identification include:
- WV driver’s license or other WV ID card issued by the DMV
- Driver’s license issued by another state
- U.S. passport or passport card
- Military ID card issued by the U.S.
- U.S. or WV Government employee ID card
- Student ID card
- A concealed carry (pistol/revolver) permit
If you are having problems getting an approved form of voter ID, you can contact Spread the Vote for assistance at www.spreadthevote.org.
https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Documents/VOTER%20ID%20RACK%20CARD.pdf
Absentee ballot applications must be received the 6th day before Election Day and require one of the following excuses:
- Any voter who is confined to a specific location and prevented from voting in person throughout the period of voting in person because of: (A) Illness, injury or other medical reason; (B) Physical disability or immobility due to extreme advanced age; or (C) Certain types of incarceration or home detention.
- Any voter who is absent from the county throughout the period and available hours for voting in person because of: (A) Personal or business travel; (B) Attendance at a college, university or other place of education or training; or (C) Employment which because of hours worked and distance from the county seat make voting in person impossible.
https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/AbsenteeVotingInformation.aspx
West Virginia offers in-person early voting. Early voting begins the 13th day before Election Day and ends on the third day prior to Election Day. Polling locations are defaulted to the local county courthouse, unless a local county commission notify voters otherwise. Counties also may designate additional "satellite" polling locations throughout their counties for early voting.
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. eastern time on Election Day.
https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace
In West Virginia, voters registered with a particular party may only vote in that party's primary. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choosing.
17-year-olds can vote in primary elections if they will be 18 by the corresponding general election.
Voters with disabilities can be placed on permanent absentee voter lists with a doctor's note, and have access to absentee ballots and curbside voting.
"Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we've come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America's polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain inaccessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, Disability Rights Network
http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Voters_Disabilities.aspx
http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx
(304) 558-6000
This is the office that is in charge of elections and can give you the most up to date information. A lot of the websites have clear tools to help you find your polling place, but some hide it a bit, so dig around and don’t be afraid to call their office to ask where you need to go to vote!
http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx
(304) 558-6000
Recently turn 18? Maybe you want to change your party or your voter registration address? Make sure you are eligible to vote in this next election. Take a few minutes and complete the voter registration form so you can Rock the Vote!
17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election can pre-register to vote. On your 18th birthday, your voter registration application will be fully processed.
West Virginia does not offer the opportunity to register to vote on Election Day. However, registered voters may update their address at the polls on Election Day. An out-of-precinct voter will have to vote using a provisional ballot, but will not be turned away.
Automatic Voter Registration was passed in 2016, but the program has yet to be implemented.
West Virginia does not require registrants to live in the state for a specific amount of time before registering to vote.
When submitting a voter registration application, no additional documents are required for your registration to be processed. The state confirms your citizenship and eligibility through the information provided on your registration form, such as your state-issued license/ID number or the last 4 digits of your SSN.
In West Virginia, the voting rights of convicted persons are automatically restored upon completion of one's sentence. Returning citizens must re-register to vote after their rights are restored.
West Virginia is a member-state of the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and participates in the Interstate Crosscheck program to compare voter rolls with other states for maintenance purposes.
Voter ID is required to vote in West Virginia in person on Election Day or during the Early Voting period.
Acceptable forms of non-photo identification include:
- Voter registration card
- Medicare card or Social Security card
- Birth certificate
- WV hunting or fishing license
- WV SNAP ID card
- WV TANF program ID card
- WV Medicaid ID card
- Bank or debit card
- Utility bill or bank statement issued within six months of the date of the election
- Health insurance card issued to the voter
Acceptable forms of photo identification include:
- WV driver’s license or other WV ID card issued by the DMV
- Driver’s license issued by another state
- U.S. passport or passport card
- Military ID card issued by the U.S.
- U.S. or WV Government employee ID card
- Student ID card
- A concealed carry (pistol/revolver) permit
If you are having problems getting an approved form of voter ID, you can contact Spread the Vote for assistance at www.spreadthevote.org.
https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Documents/VOTER%20ID%20RACK%20CARD.pdf
Absentee ballot applications must be received the 6th day before Election Day and require one of the following excuses:
- Any voter who is confined to a specific location and prevented from voting in person throughout the period of voting in person because of: (A) Illness, injury or other medical reason; (B) Physical disability or immobility due to extreme advanced age; or (C) Certain types of incarceration or home detention.
- Any voter who is absent from the county throughout the period and available hours for voting in person because of: (A) Personal or business travel; (B) Attendance at a college, university or other place of education or training; or (C) Employment which because of hours worked and distance from the county seat make voting in person impossible.
https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/AbsenteeVotingInformation.aspx
West Virginia offers in-person early voting. Early voting begins the 13th day before Election Day and ends on the third day prior to Election Day. Polling locations are defaulted to the local county courthouse, unless a local county commission notify voters otherwise. Counties also may designate additional "satellite" polling locations throughout their counties for early voting.
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. eastern time on Election Day.
https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace
In West Virginia, voters registered with a particular party may only vote in that party's primary. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choosing.
17-year-olds can vote in primary elections if they will be 18 by the corresponding general election.
Voters with disabilities can be placed on permanent absentee voter lists with a doctor's note, and have access to absentee ballots and curbside voting.
"Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we've come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America's polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain inaccessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, Disability Rights Network
http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Voters_Disabilities.aspx
http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/default.aspx
(304) 558-6000
Your state is a slacker, meaning there’s still a lot of work to do to protect everyone’s right to vote. Take action now!
When eligible citizens interact with a government agency, like the DMV, they are automatically registered to vote unless they opt-out
Leader: Oregon offers AVR.
On-the-Fence: California has signed AVR into law, but it has not been implemented yet.
Lagger: North Carolina does not offer AVR.
Allows a voter to both register and cast a ballot at the same time
Leader: Wisconsin offers voter registration at the polls on Election Day.
Slacker: Maryland only offers voter registration during the early voting period.
Blocker: Kentucky does not offer any type of EDR.
Enables 16 and 17-year-olds to submit voter registration applications and get registered when they become eligible on their 18th birthday
Leader: Louisiana offers pre-registration starting at 16 years old.
Slacker: South Dakota allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election to pre-register to vote.
Blocker: Texas only allows voters to submit a voter registration form if they are within two months of their 18th birthday, providing a very small window for “pre-registration.”
Voters can fill out a registration application online from their computer or smartphone
Leader: Minnesota offers OVR to all eligible voters, regardless of whether they have a state-issued ID.
Slacker: Nebraska offers OVR, but a state-issued ID is required to use the system.
Blocker: New Hampshire does not offer OVR.
Allows voters to cast an in-person ballot before a scheduled Election Day
Leader: Illinois offers early voting.
Slacker: Rhode Island allows voters to cast “emergency mail ballot” in-person within 20 days of an election
Blocker: Mississippi does not offer any opportunities to vote in person before Election Day.
Not Scored: States that conduct all-mail elections, such as Colorado, were not scored in this category.
Voters can be sent a ballot and then have the option to either mail it back or return it to a designated location
Leader: New Mexico allows any registered voter to vote by mail.
Slacker: Massachusetts allows any person to early vote by mail, without an excuse, in those elections which offer early voting: biennial state elections (even years). In Virginia, voters can only cast an in-person absentee ballot with an approved excuse.
Blocker: Michigan limits who can vote by mail by requiring an approved excuse. Additionally, first-time voters in Michigan who register by mail or at a registration drive are not allowed to vote by mail for any reason.
Voters who will be 18 on or by a general election can participate in the corresponding primary election
Leader: West Virginia allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by a general election to participate in the corresponding primary election.
Slacker: Wyoming does not require this by state law, leaving it to the discretion of political parties.
Blocker: Arizona does not allow any primary voting for those under 18.
The process of returning the ability to vote to people with past criminal convictions who have paid their debt to society
Leader: Maine never revokes the right to vote from someone convicted of a felony.
Slacker: New Jersey restores the right to vote and allows a person to re-register after the completion of his or her sentence, including incarceration, parole, and probation.
Blocker: In Virginia, individuals convicted of a felony can only have their voting rights restored by the Governor.
Reduces participation in our elections by limiting eligible Americans who don’t have an approved form of ID
Leader: California has no voter ID requirement.
Slacker: Delaware requests a non-photo ID at the polls, but voters without an approved ID can sign an affidavit and still cast a ballot.
Blocker: In Indiana, voters without an approved ID must submit a copy of one within 6 days of voting—or have their provisional ballot be dismissed.
The process of maintaining up-to-date voter registration lists or rolls by comparing data across states and government agencies (such as the DMV) to accurately identify non-eligible voters, including those that have passed away or moved
Leader: The District of Columbia uses the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to accurately compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Hawaii does not make a coordinated effort to compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Kansas only uses Interstate Crosscheck to compare voter records across states, which has been found to result in high percentage of false positives and the potential to purge legitimate voters from the rolls.
Taking concrete steps toward ensuring all voters, regardless of disability, can cast their ballot privately and independently
“Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federals law like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we’ve come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America’s polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain in accessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Accessible Policy Example: Connecticut offers curbside voting for voters with disabilities, and also allows them to move to the front of the line if needed.
Non-Accessible Policy Example: Indiana does not offer an exception to its strict voter ID law for voters with disabilities.
Some states have additional restrictive requirements that make it more complicated for voters to participate in elections
Leader: Pennsylvania does not have an additional “proof-of-citizenship” or “proof-of-residence” law to successfully submit a voter registration form.
Blocker: In Kansas, voters who do not submit “proof-of-citizenship” with a registration form (such as a copy of their birth certificate) cannot register to vote—even if they provide a Social Security number/state-issued ID number and their citizenship can be confirmed in another manner.
When eligible citizens interact with a government agency, like the DMV, they are automatically registered to vote unless they opt-out
Leader: Oregon offers AVR.
On-the-Fence: California has signed AVR into law, but it has not been implemented yet.
Lagger: North Carolina does not offer AVR.
Allows a voter to both register and cast a ballot at the same time
Leader: Wisconsin offers voter registration at the polls on Election Day.
Slacker: Maryland only offers voter registration during the early voting period.
Blocker: Kentucky does not offer any type of EDR.
Enables 16 and 17-year-olds to submit voter registration applications and get registered when they become eligible on their 18th birthday
Leader: Louisiana offers pre-registration starting at 16 years old.
Slacker: South Dakota allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the next general election to pre-register to vote.
Blocker: Texas only allows voters to submit a voter registration form if they are within two months of their 18th birthday, providing a very small window for “pre-registration.”
Voters can fill out a registration application online from their computer or smartphone
Leader: Minnesota offers OVR to all eligible voters, regardless of whether they have a state-issued ID.
Slacker: Nebraska offers OVR, but a state-issued ID is required to use the system.
Blocker: New Hampshire does not offer OVR.
Allows voters to cast an in-person ballot before a scheduled Election Day
Leader: Illinois offers early voting.
Slacker: Rhode Island allows voters to cast “emergency mail ballot” in-person within 20 days of an election
Blocker: Mississippi does not offer any opportunities to vote in person before Election Day.
Not Scored: States that conduct all-mail elections, such as Colorado, were not scored in this category.
Voters can be sent a ballot and then have the option to either mail it back or return it to a designated location
Leader: New Mexico allows any registered voter to vote by mail.
Slacker: Massachusetts allows any person to early vote by mail, without an excuse, in those elections which offer early voting: biennial state elections (even years). In Virginia, voters can only cast an in-person absentee ballot with an approved excuse.
Blocker: Michigan limits who can vote by mail by requiring an approved excuse. Additionally, first-time voters in Michigan who register by mail or at a registration drive are not allowed to vote by mail for any reason.
Voters who will be 18 on or by a general election can participate in the corresponding primary election
Leader: West Virginia allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by a general election to participate in the corresponding primary election.
Slacker: Wyoming does not require this by state law, leaving it to the discretion of political parties.
Blocker: Arizona does not allow any primary voting for those under 18.
The process of returning voting rights to people with past criminal convictions
Leader: Maine never revokes the right to vote from someone convicted of a felony.
Slacker: New Jersey restores the right to vote and allows a person to re-register after the completion of his or her sentence, including incarceration, parole, and probation.
Blocker: In Virginia, individuals convicted of a felony can only have their voting rights restored by the Governor.
Reduces participation in our elections by limiting eligible Americans who don’t have an approved form of ID
Leader: California has no voter ID requirement.
Slacker: Delaware requests a non-photo ID at the polls, but voters without an approved ID can sign an affidavit and still cast a ballot.
Blocker: In Indiana, voters without an approved ID must submit a copy of one within 6 days of voting—or have their provisional ballot be dismissed.
The process of maintaining up-to-date voter registration lists or rolls by comparing data across states and government agencies (such as the DMV) to accurately identify non-eligible voters, including those that have passed away or moved
Leader: The District of Columbia uses the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to accurately compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Hawaii does not make a coordinated effort to compare and maintain voter rolls with other states.
Blocker: Kansas only uses Interstate Crosscheck to compare voter records across states, which has been found to result in high percentage of false positives and the potential to purge legitimate voters from the rolls.
Taking concrete steps toward ensuring all voters, regardless of disability, can cast their ballot privately and independently
“Voters with disabilities, like all Americans, have the right to cast a private and independent ballot. Federals law like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Help America Vote Act require polling places, and the voting process from start to finish, to be accessible for people with all types of disabilities, and we’ve come a long way. In 2000, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 84% of America’s polling places were inaccessible. By 2008, that number had dropped by over 10 percentage points. Yet, almost three in four polling places remain in accessible according to GAO, and no state has a perfectly and fully implemented accessibility requirements. Therefore, there is still room for improvement across the country." - Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Accessible Policy Example: Connecticut offers curbside voting for voters with disabilities, and also allows them to move to the front of the line if needed.
Non-Accessible Policy Example: Indiana does not offer an exception to its strict voter ID law for voters with disabilities.
Some states have additional restrictive requirements that make it more complicated for voters to participate in elections
Leader: Pennsylvania does not have an additional “proof-of-citizenship” or “proof-of-residence” law to successfully submit a voter registration form.
Blocker: In Kansas, voters who do not submit “proof-of-citizenship” with a registration form (such as a copy of their birth certificate) cannot register to vote—even if they provide a Social Security number/state-issued ID number and their citizenship can be confirmed in another manner.