Scanning the Horizon – H.B. 2592 Aligns Local & Statewide Elections

Learn about H.B. 2592, how it aligns local elections with other elections statewide, and ask for this bill to move by March 28, 2021.

If all local and county elections were aligned statewide around primary and general elections, some of the issues that hinder Morgantown’s electorate would naturally resolve themselves.

City taxpayers could possibly save $30,000+ every two years. No longer would the City Clerk have to scramble to find voting machines and poll workers. City voters would have an easier time confidently knowing they would cast ballots in the same polling places as they’re used to during major elections, and they would enjoy fewer sporadic political phone calls and door knocks throughout the year.

H.B. 2592, could make this possible, saving everyone a lot of time, energy, and money. Proposed by Delegate Amy Summers (R – Taylor, 49), this bill would amend WV Code §3-1-31 and require counties and municipalities to hold all local elections during statewide elections. Municipalities, like Morgantown, would choose either the primary or general election date to hold city elections.

Specifically, municipal elections, bond elections, special levy elections, etc., would be required to be held on a primary, general, or special election date, statewide. An amendment states that in the case of municipal elections, when current terms end for elected officials, the municipality, for those seats up for reelection, must choose either the next primary or general election but cannot extend offices for more than twelve months or reduce offices less than twelve months.

The bill has moved from the WV House Political Subdivisions Committee to the WV House Judiciary Committee. Delegate Carl Martin (R – Upshur, 45), Chair of the Committee on Political Subdivisions, reported the bill with the recommendation that it do pass, as amended, but that it first be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. This report was received by the WV House of Delegates on Thursday, March 4, 2021, and is referenced in the House Journal.

The House Judiciary Committee is a major committee that always has a heavy workload featuring packed agendas. While H.B. 2592 only took two weeks from introduction to get passed out of the House Political Subdivisions Committee, not much time exists to get it passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. March 28, 2021 is the deadline for bills due out of committees in house of origin to ensure three full days for readings.

March 23, 2021 Update: Thank you Delegate Moore Capito (R – Kanawha, 35) and House Judiciary Committee for taking up and passing H.B. 2592. Contact House legislators, express your interest, and ask for their position and commitment to pass H.B. 2592 onto the Senate.