West Virginia § 3-1-20 Cards of instructions to voters; sample ballots; posting

West Virginia Statutes

§ 3-1-20 — Cards of instructions to voters; sample ballots; posting

West Virginia § 3-1-20

Ch. 3ELECTIONS

Art. 1GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

This text of West Virginia § 3-1-20 (Cards of instructions to voters; sample ballots; posting) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 3-1-20 (2026).

Text

(a)The board of ballot commissioners of each county shall provide cards of general information which will include:

(1)The date of the election and the hours during which polling places will be open;

(2)Instruction for mail-in registrants and first-time voters;

(3)Voters' rights; and

(4)Prohibitions against fraud and misrepresentation. The board of ballot commissioners shall also provide cards of instruction for voters in preparing their ballots and casting a provisional ballot as prescribed by the Secretary of State. The provisional ballot notice shall include a notification to voters of their rights as a provisional voter to inquire as to the correct precinct to cast a ballot and notification that if a ballot is cast in the incorrect precinct the ballot may not be counted at the

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(a) The board of ballot commissioners of each county shall provide cards of general information which will include:

(1) The date of the election and the hours during which polling places will be open;

(2) Instruction for mail-in registrants and first-time voters;

(3) Voters' rights; and

(4) Prohibitions against fraud and misrepresentation.

The board of ballot commissioners shall also provide cards of instruction for voters in preparing their ballots and casting a provisional ballot as prescribed by the Secretary of State. The provisional ballot notice shall include a notification to voters of their rights as a provisional voter to inquire as to the correct precinct to cast a ballot and notification that if a ballot is cast in the incorrect precinct the ballot may not be counted at the canvass for that election. The board of ballot commissioners shall furnish a sufficient number of cards to the commissioners of election at the same time they deliver the ballots for the precinct. The instructions regarding a provisional ballot shall be posted in the precinct in a highly visible location for voters to review.

(b) The commissioners of election shall post one instruction card in each voting booth giving instructions to the voters on how to prepare the ballots for deposit in the ballot boxes and how to obtain a new ballot in place of one accidentally spoiled.

(c) The commissioners of election shall post one or more other cards of general information at places inside and outside of the voting place where voters pass or wait to vote. The commissioners shall also post the official write-in candidates in the same locations inside and outside of the voting place.

(d) The ballot commissioners shall have printed, on a different color paper than the official ballot, two or more copies of sample ballots for each voting place for each election. Sample ballots shall be furnished and posted with the cards of general information at each voting place.

(e) During the period of early in-person voting, the clerk of the county commission shall post the cards of general information, a list of official write-in candidates and sample ballots within the area where absentee voting is conducted.

Legislative History

2008 Reg. Sess., SB507; 2007 Reg. Sess., SB616; 2005 Reg. Sess., SB669; 2003 Reg. Sess., HB2843; 2003 Reg. Sess., SB648; 1986 Reg. Sess., HB1199; 1975 Reg. Sess., SB97; 1963 Reg. Sess., SB2