Election season is here, and West Virginians will soon cast their ballots for a number of county, state and federal offices, as well as four proposed amendments to the state constitution.

Tuesday, Oct. 18, is the voter registration deadline in West Virginia to participate in the 2022 midterm elections. Early voting will take place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 5.

Heres what you need to know about voting in Monongalia County.

You can verify your voter registration status on the Secretary of States website by entering your full name and birthdate. From there, you can see your voter status, party affiliation, political district and polling location.

The deadline to register to vote in West Virginia is Tuesday, Oct. 18.

You can register online, by mail or in person by providing a valid ID and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Your county clerk should notify you once your application has been processed.

If you dont have a driver's license or access to your Social Security number, you can create a voter application online and deliver a signed copy to your county clerk by mail or in person.

If this is your first time registering to vote in the state, youll be required to show valid identification when registering and voting for this election. Heres a full list of acceptable IDs.

To qualify for voter registration in West Virginia, you must be a U.S. citizen and 18 years or older. You must also have a physical address in the state.

You cannot register to vote in the state if youve been convicted of a felony and are still serving a sentence, including probation or parole, or if youve been deemed mentally incapacitated by the court of law.

Heres more information on voter eligibility.

Yes, anyone in West Virginia can update their voter registration on the Secretary of State's website.

In-state students can change their voting district by providing a physical address, including college dorms and apartments.

Out-of-state students can register to vote in the state as well by providing a physical address and a valid ID. However, these students are strongly encouraged to cancel their out-of-state registration while voting in West Virginia, according to Donald Kersey, deputy legal counsel for the Secretary of State.

Although its not illegal to be registered to vote in two states, voting on two different ballots is a felony in West Virginia, according to the State Code.

In West Virginia, you can vote in person or by mail, though you must meet certain eligibility requirements.

If youre voting in person, you can confirm your polling location with the Secretary of State.

For absentee voting, you must fill out a ballot application and submit it to the county clerk at least six days before the election (Nov. 2, 2022).

Track your absentee ballot here.

A number of county, state and federal offices will be on the ballot in the November general election.

All West Virginians will vote for members of the U.S. House of Representatives, state delegates and state senators.

Offices in both the states House of Delegates and Senate are also up for grabs, with all previous position-holders running for re-election. Ballots will vary for voters based on districts and precincts.

Additionally, local elections for the Monongalia County Commission, Clerk and Circuit Clerk will also take place on Nov. 8. Both the candidate for the County Clerk and the County Circuit Clerk will run unopposed, whereas the race for the County Commission has two candidates, Democrat Bob Beach and Republican Sean Sikora.

You can look up a sample ballot on the Secretary of States website.

Voters will also be asked to weigh in on four different amendments to the states constitution, regarding tax, religion, education and impeachment.

Amendment 1: Judiciary Role in Impeachment

The first proposed amendment is aimed to clarify the Judiciarys role in impeachment proceedings and thereafter.

Currently, any state official, in either the House of Delegates or the Senate, may be impeached for a number of reasons, including but not limited to the neglect of duty, corruption or a high crime or misdemeanor. The House holds the power to impeach while the Senate is responsible for trying.

This amendment would assert that the Judiciary and its courts have no power to interfere or intervene with any impeachment proceeding of the House or Senate. The Judiciary is also prohibited from reviewing a judgment in the House or Senate regarding an impeachment.

Amendment 2: Property Tax

The proposed amendment on how much power the state should maintain over taxation may be the most controversial.

The second and most controversial amendment would permit the state to give tax cuts and exemptions for personal property taxes on tangible machinery, equipment and inventory used for business practices. It would also exempt the personal motor vehicle tax from ad valorem property taxes, which means that the tax is proportional to the value of the transaction or the property being taxed.

According to the West Virginia Center for Budget & Policy, the proposed amendment would give the legislature control over 27% of personal property taxes in the state.

Amendment 3: Incorporation of Churches

The third amendment discusses the incorporation of churches or religious denominations. This would allow for provisions to be made through general laws for securing, selling or transferring the title of a church property for purposes of the church or religious denominations.

Currently, West Virginia is the only state that prohibits any charter of incorporation to be granted to any church or religious denomination, as the provision was inherited from Virginias constitution when the state seceded. Allowing churches and religious denominations to incorporate would make it easier for them to borrow and manage money.

Amendment 4: Board Education

Lastly, the fourth amendment would clarify that any rule or policy enacted by the State Board of Education is subject to legislative review, approval, amendment or rejection. After the BOE creates a rule or policy, it must be submitted for review.

This means the state Legislature would give the final ruling over any proposed BOE rule or policy change.

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West Virginia midterm elections: What to know about voting in Mon County - The Daily Athenaeum - thedaonline