West Virginia Senate Okays Bill To Alter Elections

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia’s Senate has passed several bills that would change how elections are run. One bill proposed by the Secretary of State would require that county officials submit voting records into the statewide registration database 80 days after an election. Local officials have 120 days to enter records now. The same bill would also allow Secretary of State Mac Warner’s office to use federal money to purchase voting machines and extend the time people have to register to vote electronically. Another bill advanced to the House would require that decisions about contested elections be made in circuit court. A third would give county clerks and commissions in West Virginia greater discretion to consolidate voting precincts.