West Virginia Increase Homestead Exemption to $50,000 Amendment (2026)

West Virginia Homestead Exemption Increase to $50,000 Amendment
Election date November 3, 2026
Topic Homestead tax exemptions
Status Not on the ballot
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

The West Virginia Increase Homestead Exemption to $50,000 Amendment is not on the ballot in West Virginia as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026.

A "yes" vote would have supported increasing the minimum homestead exemption for certain homeowners from $20,000 to $50,000.

A "no" vote would have opposed increasing the minimum homestead exemption for certain homeowners from $20,000 to $50,000.

Text of measure

Full text

The full text of the measure can be read here.

Path to the ballot

A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the West Virginia State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 67 votes in the West Virginia House of Representatives and 23 votes in the West Virginia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

House Joint Resolution 42

The following is a timeline of the amendment:

• January 14, 2026: The measure, House Joint Resolution 42, was introduced by Sen. Jason Barrett (R) in the House.
• March 4, 2026: The House approved the measure in a vote of 95-0, with four members not voting. Nine (9) Democrats and 86 Republicans voted yes; four Republicans did not vote.
• March 13, 2026: The Senate amended the measure, and voted to approve it by 31-0, with three members not voting. Two (2) Democrats and 29 Republicans voted yes; three Republicans did not vote. Because amendments were made by the Senate and not approved by the House, the measure did not make the ballot.

West Virginia House of Representatives

Voted on March 4, 2026

Votes Required to Pass: 67
	Yes	No	NV
Total	95	0	4
Total %	96%	0%	4%
Democratic (D)	9	0	0
Republican (R)	86	0	4

West Virginia State Senate

Voted on March 13, 2026

Votes Required to Pass: 23
	Yes	No	NV
Total	31	0	3
Total %	91.2%	0%	8.8%
Democratic (D)	2	0	0
Republican (R)	29	0	3

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in West Virginia

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in West Virginia.

How to vote in West Virginia

Poll times

In West Virginia, all polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A voter who is in line at the time polls close must still be permitted to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in West Virginia, an individual must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of West Virginia, and at least 18 years of age by the date of the next general election.

The registration deadline is 21 days prior to an election. An individual may register to vote by submitting a form by mail to his or her county clerk's office or the Secretary of State's Office. Registration can be completed online, in person at the county clerk's office, the Secretary of State's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, any public assistance office, any agency that serves people with disabilities, any marriage license office, or any military recruiting agency.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

West Virginia automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

West Virginia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

West Virginia does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

An individual must have resided in the state for at least 30 days of residency before they may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

West Virginia does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Three states, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The West Virginia Secretary of State's office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

West Virginia requires voters to present identification while voting. The identification provided must be issued either by the State of West Virginia, or one of its subsidiaries, or by the United States government.

Signed into law in 2025, HB 3016 established that a document was valid if it:

• Has been issued either by the State of West Virginia, one of its political subdivisions or instrumentalities, or by the United States Government;
• Contains the name of the person desiring to vote; and
• Contains a photograph of the person desiring to vote. Provided that a driver’s license or identification card issued in accordance with §17B-2-1(f)(4) of the West Virginia code that does not contain a photograph of the person desiring to vote is a valid identifying document.

State law enumerates the following identifications that an individual may use to vote:

• A valid West Virginia driver’s license or valid West Virginia identification card issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, including a driver’s license or identification card issued in accordance with §17B-2-1(f)(4) of the West Virginia code
• A valid driver’s license issued by a state other than the State of West Virginia
• A valid United States passport or passport card
• A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States Government or of the State of West Virginia, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of West Virginia
• A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by an institution of higher education in West Virginia, or a valid high school identification card issued by a West Virginia high school
• A valid military identification card issued by the United States with a photograph of the person desiring to vote
• A valid voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph issued by a county clerk in the State of West Virginia or the Secretary of State. The county clerk or the Secretary of State may not charge or collect a fee for the application or issuance of a voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph

Lastly, state law provided for the following exceptions and alternative methods of verifying a voter's identity:

• Any expired document identified above is a valid identifying document if presented by a registered voter 65 years of age or older, provided that the identifying document was not expired on the registered voter’s 65th birthday.
• In lieu of providing a valid identifying document a registered voter may be accompanied at the polling place by an adult known to the registered voter for at least six months. That adult may sign an affidavit on a form provided to clerks and poll workers by the Secretary of State, which states under oath or affirmation that the adult has known the registered voter for at least six months, and that in fact the registered voter is the same person who is present for the purpose of voting. For the affidavit to be considered valid, the adult shall present a valid identifying document with his or her name, address, and photograph.
• A poll worker may allow a voter, whom the poll worker has known for at least six months, to vote without presenting a valid identifying document.
• If the person desiring to vote is unable to furnish a valid identifying document, or if the poll clerk determines that the proof of identification presented by the voter does not qualify as a valid identifying document, the person desiring to vote shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot after executing an affidavit affirming his or her identity.

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card at their county clerk’s office.

External links

• West Virginia House Joint Resolution 42

See also

2026 ballot measures

View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in West Virginia.

• 2026 ballot measures
• West Virginia 2026 ballot measures
• West Virginia elections, 2026

West Virginia ballot measures

Explore West Virginia's ballot measure history, including constitutional amendments.

• List of West Virginia ballot measures
• Homestead tax exemptions ballot measures
• West Virginia State Legislature

Legislative process

Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.

• Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
• West Virginia Constitution
• Amending state constitutions

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