This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to mandate that elections for mayors and city council members be conducted as partisan elections starting July 1, 2032. It stipulates that mayors can only be elected through popular vote and not appointed, except in cases of filling vacancies as permitted by existing law. Additionally, any city, town, or village whose charter conflicts with this requirement must amend their charter to comply by the same deadline. The bill also includes provisions for municipalities to share in the administrative costs of holding elections with county commissions, ensuring that these costs do not exceed the municipality's proportional share of registered voters.

Furthermore, the bill outlines that the charters of cities must provide a method and timeline for filing certificates of candidacy, nominating candidates, and conducting elections, while also mandating that general law provisions apply to municipal elections unless specified otherwise in the charter. The changes aim to standardize the electoral process for local government positions and enhance the democratic nature of these elections by ensuring they are partisan.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-5-5, 8-5-6