This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to transition judicial elections from a nonpartisan to a partisan system. It mandates that judicial candidates, including those for the Supreme Court of Appeals, circuit judges, family court judges, and magistrates, file as partisan candidates and participate in both primary and general elections. Starting with the elections in 2028, all judicial elections will be conducted on a partisan basis, with ballots reflecting candidates' political party affiliations. The bill also clarifies the structure and content of ballots, replacing the term "nonpartisan" with "partisan" and specifying the order in which candidates will appear.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the process for determining the arrangement of candidates' names on the ballot, which will be conducted by lot in the presence of the county commission clerk. It also includes provisions for grouping candidates for delegate to the national convention alphabetically based on their commitment to presidential candidates. These changes aim to enhance transparency and organization in the electoral process for judicial positions, ensuring that voters are well-informed about the candidates running for these offices.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 3-5-6a, 3-5-6b, 3-5-6c, 3-5-6d, 3-5-6e, 3-5-13, 3-5-13a