By Mac Warner
West Virginia Secretary of State
There are hundreds (and probably thousands) of examples nationwide where elections have been won by just one vote. In West Virginia, we’re doing our best to make sure that every vote counts. Working with our county clerks, we’re cleaning up our voter registration lists. In just about 14 months, we’ve been able to cancel 95,340 outdated, deceased, duplicate or convicted felon voter files.
April 17, 2018, is the last day to register to vote and be eligible to participate in the May 8th Primary Election. West Virginia currently has 1,224,508 citizens registered to vote. It is estimated that we have another 210,000 people who are eligible to vote but who are not registered to vote.
Since I became Secretary of State in January of 2017, there have been 56,875 additional citizens register to vote. Of those, 13,688 were high school students who turn 18 years old before the General Election.
Additionally, 17 year old West Virginia residents who will be 18 years of age on or before November 6, 2018, are eligible to vote in the upcoming May 8th Primary Election.
It is very easy to register and we offer a couple of convenient options. You can visit your county clerk’s office at your local courthouse. Or, you can register online at ovr.sos.wv.gov .
Citizens registering to vote for the first time or in a new county are required show a proof of residency (common acceptable forms include a driver’s license, current utility bill or a paycheck) either when registering or when going to the polls to vote.
For all other registered voters, the new Voter ID Law is in effect and everyone must show one form of ID. Common forms, which include various non-photo and photo IDs, include a voter registration card, driver’s license or passport, bank debit card, current utility bill, WV SNAP or TANF card. For a complete list of acceptable forms of ID, please contact your county clerk, call the WVSOS Elections Division at 304-558-6000, or visit www.wvsos.gov.
Are you a registered voter whose address may have changed since the last election? Are you a registered voter by it been a very long time since you voted in an election? You can check the status of your current voter registration 24-hours a day by going to our website at GoVoteWV.com.
Again, please note that the last day to register to vote to be eligible to participate in the May 8th Primary Election is Tuesday, April 17.
Your voice is your vote.
