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Thousands of WV voters to get address verification postcards

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 75,000 registered voters in West Virginia whom records indicate have moved during the past two years will be hearing from Secretary of State Mac Warner during the next week.

Mac Warner

Warner has sent each voter a postcard to confirm their move. The information gathering is required every two years by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), Warner said.

Warner’s office receives information all year long from the U.S. Postal Service and state Division of Motor Vehicles about address changes. He said the confirmation cards are a maintenance requirement to keep voter registration lists current.

“These names come to us and every two years we’re required to send out a card so the people that have moved–can verify they have moved,” Warner said Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline.”

Warner said the card includes three simple questions and shouldn’t take long to fill-out and return, he said.

“Three questions on it,” Warner said. “Have you moved within the county? Have you moved within the state? Have you moved outside the state?”

Warner said the cards do not prevent anybody from voting and they don’t take anyone off the rosters. It’s just another verification.

“West Virginia voter registration files are the cleanest in the State’s history thanks to a historical amount of newly registered voters and the uniform processes followed by our County Clerks to keep everyone’s registration up to date. My office and our County Clerks have a legal duty to ensure that citizens’ voter registrations are up to date,” Warner said. “This postcard notification is just another part of the uniform process to keep WV’s voter registration files as accurate as possible.”

The 75,000 voters to receive the postcards represents about 14 percent of the state’s voter registration. Voters in the eastern panhandle have moved the most. Cards are going out to nearly 10,000 registered voters in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties. A high percentage of the cards are also being mailed to voters in Kanawha, Monongalia, Cabell and Wood counties.

Return or non-return of the cards starts a process that could eventually lead to the voter’s name being removed from the roll if they fail to vote in two consecutive federal elections but Warner said the cards shouldn’t keep anyone from voting.

“You will be able to vote regardless whether you answer this card or not,” Warner said. “Please do go and vote and when you vote that starts the process over. We verify your address at the precinct and that’s how this system works.”

According to a news release from Warner’s office, “the mailing is an indicator that the voter might be registered at an address that is not their current residence, possibly creating uncertainty heading into the 2020 election cycle. Failure of a registered voter to keep their address updated may require the voter to cast a provisional ballot.”

Voters can update their registration information at GoVoteWV.com.





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