The bill amends the Code of West Virginia to establish a more structured process for filling vacancies in various elected offices, including federal, state, and county positions. A key provision mandates that any individual appointed to fill a vacancy must have been a member of the same political party as the previous officeholder for at least one year prior to the vacancy. Additionally, appointments must be made from a list of three qualified candidates submitted by the political party's executive committee, reflecting the party affiliation of the individual who vacated the office at the time of the previous election. The bill also includes specific changes, such as the deletion of references to the timing of the vacancy occurrence and the insertion of language clarifying that appointments must align with the party affiliation at the time of the previous election.

Moreover, the bill addresses the filling of vacancies for positions such as prosecuting attorney, sheriff, assessor, and county surveyor, emphasizing that appointees must share the same political party affiliation as the vacating individual. It allows for the appointment of a temporary successor for up to thirty days while the permanent appointment process is underway. The legislation also outlines procedures for elections to fill vacancies that occur between the primary and general election cutoff dates, ensuring that candidates nominated by the county executive committee are placed on the ballot for the next general election. Overall, the bill aims to maintain political party representation and integrity in the appointment process for vacant elected offices.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 3-10-3, 3-10-4, 3-10-5, 3-10-6, 3-10-7, 3-10-8