Voting Access Scorecard - West Virginia
The Franchise Project’s Voting Access Scorecard ranks how accessible voting is in West Virginia. The Voting Access Scorecard measures the accessibility of American elections by analyzing state election laws and practices. Each state’s performance is based on 30 measurable metrics shown to affect accessibility and foster participation. All metrics are weighted equally to fairly assess all states and their practices. If answered in the affirmative, each metric is worth 1 point, for a total of 30 points. Note that if a practice varies by county or municipality, e.g. the number of early voting locations in Wisconsin, the state only received 0.5 points for that metric. Note: Y=Yes, N=No, and V=Varies by Municipality/County.
Currently, West Virginia ranks 22. You can make a difference! Take action now!Overall score: 18 / 30
Y=Yes, N=No, V=Varies by County/Municipality
| State registration deadline is the Friday before Election Day or later West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/VoterFAQs.aspx#anchor_1405101907921 | N |
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| State offers Election Day registration West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/VoterFAQs.aspx#anchor_1405101907921 | N |
| State has automatic registration HB 4013: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB4013%20SUB%20ENR.htm&yr;=2016&sesstype;=RS&i;=4013 | Y |
| State does NOT create barriers to voter registration by third parties (e.g. allows third party registration, does not require registration drive training or notification) West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/VoterFAQs.aspx#anchor_1405101907921 | Y |
| State does NOT impose fines or criminal penalties for negligent/accidential voter registration mistakes West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/VoterFAQs.aspx#anchor_1405101907921 | Y |
| State offers early voting/in-person absentee voting in multiple locations per municipality/county West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Early-Voting.aspx | Y |
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| State offers early voting/in-person absentee voting during evenings and/or weekends West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Early-Voting.aspx | Y |
| State allows no-excuse early voting/in-person absentee voting West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/Early-Voting.aspx | Y |
| State holds all elections entirely by mail West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/absentee/Pages/Absentee-by-Mail.aspx | N |
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| State does NOT require an excuse to vote by mail West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/absentee/Pages/Absentee-by-Mail.aspx | N |
| State deadline to return absentee ballot is NO earlier than Election Day (via any type of delivery) Postmarked by Election Day and received by 5 days after Election Day, excluding Sunday. West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/absentee/Pages/Absentee-by-Mail.aspx | Y |
| State allows all voters to sign up to vote by absentee permanently Only voters who are permanently and totally disabled and unable to vote at the polls can sign up to vote by permanent absentee. W. Va. Code §3-3-2(b): http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=03&art;=3§ion;=2#03 | N |
| State allows voters to request vote by mail ballot online West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/forms/Pages/Forms-Voter.aspx | N |
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| State allows voters to register online West Virginia Secretary of State: https://ovr.sos.wv.gov/Register/Landing | Y |
| State allows voters to check their Election Day polling location online West Virginia Secretary of State: https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace | Y |
| State allows voters to check their vote by mail status online West Virginia Secretary of State: https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/AbsenteeBallotTracking | Y |
| State does NOT require a Photo ID to vote on Election Day New photo ID passed recently: http://wvpublic.org/post/tomblin-signs-voter-id-automatic-voter-registration-bill#stream/0 HB 4013: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB4013%20SUB%20ENR.htm&yr;=2016&sesstype;=RS&i;=4013 | N |
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| State does NOT require a Photo ID to vote early or by mail Early in-person voting requires no excuse. Nothing in the current code (W. Va. Code, § 3-3-3) or HB 4013 indicates photo ID requirement for early in-person voting. | Y |
| If ID required, State allows voter to vote through alternative process that does not require voter action (Note: full points received if no ID required at all) Under HB 4013, voter without sufficient ID will cast provisional ballot, which will be "entitled to be counted once the election authority verifies the identity of the individual by comparing that individual's signature to the current signature on file with the election authority and determines that the individual was otherwise eligible to cast a ballot at the polling place where the ballot was cast." HB 4013: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB4013%20SUB%20ENR.htm&yr;=2016&sesstype;=RS&i;=4013 | Y |
| During voter maintenance process, if address has not changed, state allows voter to simply mail back confirmation form W. Va. Code 3-2-27: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/wvcode/chapterentire.cfm?chap=03&art;=2§ion;=27 | Y |
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| State is NOT a member of Interstate Crosscheck Bryan Caskey, Kansas Secretary of State, Director of Elections (email communication, May 24, 2023) | N |
| State is Member of ERIC ERIC, http://www.ericstates.org/whowear John Lindback, ERIC Executive Director (email communication, May 25, 2023) | Y |
| State refused to comply with the Pence-Kobach voter registration data request Charleston Gazette-Mail: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20170630/wv-secretary-of-state-wont-give-up-all-voter-data-trump-wants | N |
| State allows individuals to vote when their sentence is complete W. Va. Code, § 3-2-2: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/wvcode/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=03&art;=2§ion;=2 | Y |
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| State allows individuals to vote during their term of incarceration W. Va. Code, § 3-2-2: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/wvcode/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=03&art;=2§ion;=2 | N |
| State allows individuals to vote after incarceration, while on probation or parole W. Va. Code, § 3-2-2: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/wvcode/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=03&art;=2§ion;=2 | N |
| State voting technology requires a paper trail West Virginia requires a "voter verified paper audit trail." 3-4A-2(8): http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/ChapterEntire.cfm?chap=03&art;=4A | Y |
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| State requires poll worker training W. Va. Code § 3-1-46(c): http://law.justia.com/codes/west-virginia/2012/chapter03/article1/3-1-46 | Y |
| State law requires voting machines to meet federal standards, testing by a federally accredited laboratory, or federal certification West Virginia Secretary of State: http://services.sos.wv.gov/apps/elections/results/ | N |
| State provides readily accessible voting technology information West Virginia Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/VoterFAQs.aspx | Y |
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