Senate 811

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 811

By Senator Takubo

[Introduced February 6, 2026; referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend and reenact §3-2-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to registration of voters; and permitting persons to change party affiliation on the day of an election.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS.

§3-2-2. Eligibility to register to vote.

(a) Any person who possesses the constitutional qualifications for voting may register to vote. To be qualified, a person must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of West Virginia and of the county where he or she is applying to register, shall be at least eighteen years of age, except that a person who is at least 17 years of age and who will be18 years of age by the time of the next ensuing general election may also be permitted to register, and shall not be otherwise legally disqualified: Provided, That a registered voter who has not reached 18 years of age may vote both partisan and nonpartisan ballots in a federal, state, county, municipal or special primary election if he or she will be 18 years of age by the time of the corresponding general election.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, any person, who has previously registered to vote under this code, may change his or her party affiliation during the day of a primary, general or special election.

(b) (c) Any person who has been convicted of a felony, treason or bribery in an election, under either state or federal law, is disqualified and is not eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote while serving his or her sentence, including any period of incarceration, probation or parole related thereto. Any person who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction is disqualified and shall not be eligible to register or to continue to be registered to vote for as long as that disability continues.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow registered voters to change their party affiliation on the day of an election.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.