West Virginia § 7-2-3 Relocation of county seat

West Virginia Statutes

§ 7-2-3 — Relocation of county seat

West Virginia § 7-2-3

Ch. 7COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND OFFICERS

Art. 2COUNTY AND DISTRICT BOUNDARIES; CHANGE OF COUNTY SEAT AND NAMES OF UNINCORPORATED TOWNS AND OF DISTRICTS

This text of West Virginia § 7-2-3 (Relocation of county seat) 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 § 7-2-3 (2026).

Text

Upon the filing of a petition signed by two fifths of the registered voters of the county, praying the relocation of the county seat to some other point in the county, the county court shall enter an order directing that the matter of such relocation shall be submitted to a vote of the people at the next general election to be held not less than sixty days from the date of such order, and shall direct that notice of such election on the relocation of the county seat shall be published in the same manner and for the same length of time as the official ballot, and notice thereof, shall be posted at least thirty days prior to such election at some public place in each of the election precincts of the county. The court shall cause a certified copy of such order to be filed with the clerk of th

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Upon the filing of a petition signed by two fifths of the registered voters of the county, praying the relocation of the county seat to some other point in the county, the county court shall enter an order directing that the matter of such relocation shall be submitted to a vote of the people at the next general election to be held not less than sixty days from the date of such order, and shall direct that notice of such election on the relocation of the county seat shall be published in the same manner and for the same length of time as the official ballot, and notice thereof, shall be posted at least thirty days prior to such election at some public place in each of the election precincts of the county. The court shall cause a certified copy of such order to be filed with the clerk of the circuit court, who shall cause to be printed at the bottom of the official ballot, in each column thereof, the words "/ / For relocation of county seat at ........... / / Against relocation of the county seat." Election officials shall ascertain, certify and canvass the result in the same manner as for county officers. If three fifths of all the votes cast upon the question shall be in favor of such relocation, the county court shall enter an order, declaring the place receiving such three fifths the county seat from and after the entry of such order. In case of such relocation, the county court of such county shall proceed with all possible dispatch to cause the necessary buildings for the use of the county to be erected thereat, and do all things necessary to put into effect such relocation, and until that is done the courts of such county may, in case of necessity, be held at the former county seat. Such court may receive subscriptions from any person to aid in the erection of such buildings, and all subscriptions made at any time for that purpose shall be binding on the person making the same, and may be sued for and recovered in the name of the county court of the county.