West Virginia ballot news
From Ballotpedia
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| Propositions • | Recall | • Law |
Here you'll find a collection of ballot news stories from West Virginia.
West Virginia approves online voting for military personnel
CHARLESTON, West Virginia: A pilot program to allow online voting for military personnel, also known as H.B. 406 was unanimously approved by West Virginia Legislature. The bill requires that each participating county setup an online system in which military and overseas voters will be able to login and cast their ballot. According to state officials, the bill was developed in response to the "Military and Overseas Empowerment Act" which calls for better voting systems for military personnel. Before becoming law, however, the bill must be signed by Gov. Joe Manchin. Approximately 42,000 West Virginians are said to be eligible to vote online.[1] [2]
West Virginia drops appeal in petition case
CHARLESTON, West Virginia: Last week the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) opted to no longer pursue an appeal against a June 2009 ruling involving circulating petitions in state parks.[3] According to DNR officials both sides "agreed to the action" in June 2009 - that the state's requirements were unconstitutional.
In June, the Division of Natural Resources argued that solicitation in state parks should only be allowed after receiving written permission from the state. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey ruled that the state's argument was unconstitutional. The issue first appeared in court after the Rutherford Institute, in 2008, intended to circulate a petition at a National Hunting and Fishing event at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park and was denied access. The institute filed a law suit, on behalf of the Constitution Party of West Virginia, against the state citing a violation of the West Virginia Constitution.[4]
According to the judge's ruling DNR is required to pay $462 in costs and $37,769 in attorney fees.
Jefferson County voters question petition, county faces FOIA case
Jefferson County, West Virginia: In regards to the upcoming zoning ordinance referendum, residents in Jefferson County are questioning the financial dealings between Lee Snyder, owner of Jefferson Utilities, and Ronda Lehman, who led a petition drive on the latest zoning ordinance. The connection between the two entities, said John Maxey, chairman of the Citizens of the Blue Ridge group, explains,"Ronda Lehman’s attempts to suppress public disclosure of the petition names is similar to her attempt to suppress that she has received payments from a corporation with economic interests in the position she is pursuing. Neither is good for a transparent government process." However, Lehman continues to emphasize that in her petition efforts she does not represent any particular entity or special interest. According to reports, Lehman said that the findings are unrelated to Jefferson County's zoning ordinance petition drive.[5]
Jefferson County, too, is facing court cases regarding rejected FOIA requests. According to The Observer, they are involved in "a civil suit against Jefferson County in an attempt to obtain the names of the petitioners who signed the referendum petition." After signatures were filed, a FOIA request was filed to obtain the names of the petitioners, however the requests were rejected by Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan's office.[6]
A referendum on the issue will take place on November 7, 2009.
Wheeling FOP seeks injunction on cruiser petition
WHEELING, West Virginia: In an effort to stop an effort to place the Wheeling Police Cruiser Referendum on the ballot, the Wheeling Fraternal Order of Police is seeking an injunction in Ohio County Circuit Court to prevent any election on the cruiser issue.[7] The referendum calls for the requirement for two police officers to occupy a vehicle when on-duty be abolished.[8] Wheeling FOP president Thomas Howard said that the election should not take place because "This is an illegal petition - the signatures are invalid because they were not witnessed." Howard said he supports the right of the people to petition for a referendum but in this case the signatures were retrieved illegally. Referendum supporters, however, argue differently, they said that the signatures were witnessed and are valid. But Howard insists that the petition is illegal, he added, "There is no way all of those signatures were witnessed."[7]
Newspaper wants names of those who signed petition
CHARLES TOWN, West Virginia: Controversy continues over the Jefferson County Zoning Petition, an effort started in 2008 by a group of Jefferson County, West Virginia residents to put the county's new zoning ordinance up for a public vote through the veto referendum process.
Residents Ronda Lehman and Ed Burns collected more than 2,000 signatures on a petition requesting a public vote. They submitted the signatures to the Jefferson County Clerk's Office for verification.
As of June 2009, a vote has not been scheduled, although the ordinance has been held in abeyance.
Officials of the county have asked that the signatures on the petition be made available for public review.
Two lawsuits have been filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court. One lawsuit, filed on behalf of a local newspaper, the Shepherdstown Observer, asks for access to copies of the signed petitions.
Circulator Ronda Lehman says that the privacy of those who signed the petition should be protected.[9]
Wheeling cruiser petition collects enough signatures for referendum
WHEELING, West Virginia: After being told that they were 350 signatures short, last month Wheeling residents announced that they collected 500 additional signatures, more than qualifying the "police cruiser petition" for the ballot.[10] The "police cruiser petition" advocates for the requirement for two police officers to occupy a vehicle when on-duty be abolished. The proposal will not have an impact on the size of the current city police force, according to city officials.[11] In order to qualify the petition for a referendum supporters needed to collect approximately 2,212 valid signatures; representing 10 percent of all registered voters in Wheeling. The petition fell short 350 signatures in June 10, 2009 and were given an additional 10 days to collect the necessary signatures. According to reports, at least 16 signatures were invalid because the people had died since first singing the petition. Supporters began circulating the petition in 2008. The current two-officer cruiser law was first approved in 1973 and upheld in 1980 by voters.[12]
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