West Virginia voters will consider one proposed amendment to the West Virginia Constitution during the November 2026 General Election. Kris Warner, West Virginia Secretary of State, is encouraging voters to review the proposed amendment and understand the limited role of the secretary of state’s office in the constitutional amendment process.
The amendment, titled the “Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections,” was proposed by the West Virginia Legislature during the 2026 regular legislative session.
Warner said, “The duty of the office of the secretary of state is to ensure that any amendment approved by the Legislature is placed on every ballot in the state so voters can make the final decision. A majority vote is required for passage. If approved by voters, the amendment would become part of the West Virginia Constitution upon ratification.”
According to the language approved by the Legislature, the proposed amendment would establish that only citizens of the United States who are also citizens of West Virginia are entitled to vote in elections held within the state.
Under the current West Virginia Constitution, Article IV, § 1 provides that “the citizens of the state” are entitled to vote in elections held within the counties where they reside. Article IV, § 1 does not expressly state that a voter must be a citizen of the United States.
The proposed amendment would change Article IV, § 1 by expressly providing that only citizens of the United States who are citizens of West Virginia are entitled to vote in elections held within the state.
West Virginia election law already requires a person to be a United States citizen to register to vote. If approved by the voters, the proposed amendment would add that requirement expressly to Article IV, § 1 of the West Virginia Constitution.
