CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has the cleanest voting registration list in state history, Secretary of State Mac Warner told all 55 County Clerks at their conference in Bridgeport Monday.
“We have zero counties that have more registered voters than they do people of voting age in the population,” Warner said.
The state has removed 366,000 names or about 25 percent of their voter registration list. Those names include duplicates, deceased and convicted felon voter files that were removed.
“That list maintenance clean up that the clerks’ have accomplished, coupled with voter ID and other security protocols that we have put into place here in West Virginia is what has thrust West Virginia to the top in confidence in elections throughout the United States,” Warner said.
The West Virginia County Clerks Conference, held in Bridgeport, gives county clerks a chance to talk about the past election. It also gives clerks the opportunity to learn about new technology and laws for upcoming elections.
“I think we’re going to see a growth and expansion in electronic voting to support all of our active duty military who are serving oversees in harms way. How would they vote if an election came up?” Warner said.
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) were on hand Monday to discuss nuances of the For the People Act, a federal bill to increase voter options, ensure access to the polls and address campaign financing. Senate Republicans blocked the measure last month.
“Those senators pleaded with the county clerks to continue the dialogue and to continue talking to them about the ground truth here in West Virginia and in their specific counties,” Warner said.
Since Warner took office in 2017, he and the clerks have registered more than 250,000 new voters in West Virginia.
The conference runs through Tuesday.