West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
West Virginia SB59: Relating to voter eligibility and residency requirements
Status: Signed into law, April 1, 2026
What the bill says
An act to amend and reenact §3-1-3 and §3-2-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend the code by adding a new section, designated §3-2-2a, relating to voter eligibility and residency requirements; requiring that a person be a legal resident of the state, county, or municipality in which he or she offers to vote; defining terms; providing factors for consideration when determining if a person is a legal resident; setting forth rules and principles for the determination of the residence of a person; providing for challenging the residency of a person; and providing effectiv.
From the enrolled text, March 13, 2026:
AN ACT to amend and reenact §3-1-3 and §3-2-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend the code by adding a new section, designated §3-2-2a, relating to voter eligibility and residency requirements; requiring that a person be a legal resident of the state, county, or municipality in which he or she offers to vote; defining terms; providing factors for consideration when determining if a person is a legal resident; setting forth rules and principles for the determination of the residence of a person; providing for challenging the residency of a person; and providing effective dates. ARTICLE 1. General Provisions and Definitions. §3-1-3. Persons entitled to vote. (a) Citizens of the state may vote at all elections held within the precincts of the counties and municipalities in which they respectively reside, but a person may not vote in a federal, state, county, municipal, or special election unless the (2) Is 18 years of age, except that a person may vote in a primary election if he or she will reach the age of 18 years on or before the date of the next general election held after the primary election; (3) Has not been determined by a final judgment of a circuit court exercising jurisdiction pursuant to §44A-1-2(c) of this code to be totally mentally incompetent; …
Sponsors
- (R, 16) · primary sponsor