LEWIS COUNTY, W.Va. — Voters in Lewis County will be going to the polls on Saturday to again take up a proposed fire levy.
The vote is revisiting a proposed levy renewal that failed during the May 2016 primary election when it fell short of the required 60 percent threshold.
“Our early voting has been very successful. We’ve had a high turnout for that,” Cindy Rowan, Lewis County clerk, told MetroNews on Friday.
If approved Saturday, the proposed fire levy in Lewis County would take effect on July 1 and generate $2.9 million over its five years for six county fire departments: Jane Lew, Jackson’s Mill, Midway, Pricetown, Weston and Walkersville.
West Virginia’s new voter identification law is in effect for Lewis County’s levy election.
Acceptable ID forms include a voter registration card, a utility bill from the last six months, bank statement from the last six months, Medicaid or Medicare card, SNAP or TANF card, hunting or fishing license, birth certificate, Social Security card, driver’s license, passport, DMV ID card, employee ID for U.S. or WV government employee, student ID, or a concealed carry permit.
There are also exceptions to the ID requirement if a poll worker has known a voter for the past six months, if a friend is willing to sign an affidavit at the polls or if a resident of a state care facility is voting in the same place where they live.
Prior to election days, registered voters can also apply in person for free voter ID cards from county clerks.
“I don’t think it’ll affect anything. We actually had two days of early voting with it, the 2nd and the 3rd (of January), and didn’t have any problems,” Rowan said of the new law.
“In the past, just from early voting experiences and what pollworkers have said, people have always wanted to kind of show ID anyway, so I don’t foresee any problems with that at all.”
Polls at Lewis County’s 24 voting locations will be open on Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“Weather-wise, I know it’s going to be cold, but it’s not showing snow necessarily, so I’m kind of expecting a fair turnout,” Rowan said.