You might have seen the recent roll-out of our Fast Democracy bill tracker. You can also use it to MAKE SOME NOISE FOR VOTING RIGHTS – Oppose HB 4600! [This link takes you to additional information and a pre-drafted letter you can edit with your personal thoughts on this bill. It will send your letter directly to your legislator – no need to look up their email!]
West Virginians can vote by absentee ballot for many reasons including: physical disability; being out of town for personal, business, or education reasons during the election; and military personnel serving overseas. Currently, absentee ballots are required to be counted if postmarked by the election date and received by canvass.
If HB 4600 becomes law, the cut-off to request an absentee ballot will be moved one week earlier, and any ballot received after 8pm on election day will not be counted. This is a dramatic change in our election process and will have the effect of preventing votes – especially from students, military personnel or people with disabilities – from being counted.
Throughout the committee process there was no testimony of any trouble with the current process of managing absentee ballots. This bill, along with many others introduced this year, intentionally chips away at access to the polls.
The right to vote and equal access to the ballot are pillars of our democracy and LWVWV opposes legislation that would restrict voting.
Bill Status: HB 4600 passed the House Legal Services Subcommittee 2/2, House Judiciary Committee 2/4 and will likely be up for a full House of Delegates vote the week of 2/9.
ACTION: Please join LWVWV in opposition to this bill by using the link below to contact your delegate and ask them to vote NO on HB 4600!
https://fastdemocracy.com/campaigns/HQx99URqz/Make-Sure-Absentee-Ballots-Count-