Citizenship Requirement to Vote in WV Elections Amendment is on the November 3 Ballot

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Oct. 13, 2026 - PRLog -- Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity (C4WVEI) today called on West Virginia voters to choose "FOR" on Amendment 1, the Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.

Amendment 1 would expressly provide that, in all elections held in West Virginia, only citizens of the United States who are citizens of this state are qualified to vote.

"Our mission is to champion transparent, fair, and secure elections across the state," said Ed Fisher, founder of Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity. "Every vote cast in West Virginia must be legally valid. Placing a clear U.S. citizenship requirement in the Constitution protects that principle for every future election."

West Virginia statutory law already requires a person to be a U.S. citizen and a legal resident of West Virginia and the county where he or she registers to vote. The West Virginia Constitution, however, currently states that "citizens of the State" are entitled to vote without expressly stating a United States citizenship requirement. C4WVEI believes Amendment 1 would close that gap by amending Article IV, Section 1.

The enrolled amendment would state: "Only citizens of the United States who are citizens of this state shall be entitled to vote at all elections held within the counties in which they respectively reside."

The official ballot summary of purpose reads: "This amendment provides that in all elections held in West Virginia only citizens of the United States who are citizens of this state are qualified to vote."

The amendment would leave the Constitution's other existing voter-qualification provisions unchanged, including residency requirements and provisions concerning minors, persons declared mentally incompetent by a court, and persons under conviction of treason, felony, or bribery in an election.

Amendment 1 would not prevent an otherwise qualified member of the U.S. Armed Forces from establishing West Virginia residency, registering to vote here, and voting in West Virginia elections. The Constitution currently provides—and Amendment 1 would continue to provide—that a person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States is not considered a West Virginia resident solely because he or she is stationed in the state.

Senate Joint Resolution 9, which placed Amendment 1 before voters, was adopted by the House of Delegates 97-0 on March 13, 2026, and received final Senate approval on March 14, 2026. Secretary of State Kris Warner issued the official public notice on July 23, 2026.

Federal law already prohibits non-U.S. citizens from voting in federal elections. Amendment 1 would expressly place a U.S.-citizenship requirement in the West Virginia Constitution for elections held in the state. Because the requirement would be constitutional rather than merely statutory, it could not be changed by an ordinary act of a future Legislature. It would not create a new voter-registration process.

Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity, established in 2023 by a coalition of dedicated volunteers, is committed to ensuring that every vote cast in West Virginia is legally valid, accurately recorded, and transparently audited. The organization urges voters to vote "FOR" Amendment 1 on November 3, 2026.

• Voters can review the full text of the amendment at:

https://sos.wv.gov/article/secretary-warner-issues-public-notice-proposed-amendment-west-virginia-constitution-will

• To view a sample ballot: https://wv.omniballot.us/sites/54/ballot/app/sb/vr

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About Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity

Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity (C4WVEI) is a nonpartisan, volunteer-led grassroots organization founded in 2023 by concerned West Virginians. Its mission is to champion transparent, fair, and secure elections and to ensure that every vote cast in the state is legally valid, accurately recorded, and transparently audited.


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Source: C4WVEI

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