# West Virginia HB 4710: Changing the limit on switching parties before filing to run for office from 60 days to 180 days prior to an election. West Virginia HB 4710, Changing the limit on switching parties before filing to run for office from 60 days to 180 days prior to an election., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Josh Holstein (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-13 (On 3rd reading) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4710-2026rs - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: West Virginia HB 4710 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Changing the limit on switching parties before filing to run for office from 60 days to 180 days prior to an election. - Status: failed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-21 - Last action: 2026-03-13, On 3rd reading - Sponsor: Josh Holstein (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: §3-5-7 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (157 yes, 96 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Candidates face longer waits after switching parties: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, West Virginia partisan candidates must have been registered with their listed party for 180 days before filing. This increases the prior 60-day period. Candidates cannot have been registered with another party or as independent during those 180 days. The Secretary of Stat… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Josh Holstein (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Joe Funkhouser (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chuck Horst (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kump ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Effective January 1, 2027 (Roll No. 546) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 545) | pass | 32 | 2 | | | 2026-02-18 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 122) | pass | 79 | 13 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | Amendment rejected (Roll No. 115) | fail | 12 | 81 | | ## Actions (35) - 2026-03-13: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Passed Senate (Roll No. 545) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Effective January 1, 2027 (Roll No. 546) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Senate requests House to concur (Senate) - 2026-03-12: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Committee amendment reported (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Amendments to committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Committee amendment as amended adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Reported do pass, with amendment (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-19: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-19: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-18: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-18: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-02-18: Passed House (Roll No. 122) (House) - 2026-02-18: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-02-17: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-17: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-17: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-02-17: Amendment rejected (Roll No. 115) (House) - 2026-02-16: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-16: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-02-13: By substitute, do pass (House) - 2026-02-11: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-02-10: To House Judiciary (House) - 2026-02-09: To House Legal Services (House) - 2026-02-09: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-01-21: Filed for introduction (House) - 2026-01-21: To Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-21: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-01-21: To House Judiciary (House) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1.pdf) - Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1 eng.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed) - HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed) - HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed) - HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law) - HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime (signed) - HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds (signed) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1.pdf) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1 eng.htm) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 sub1 eng.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4710 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs) - [HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs) - [HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to tha…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4390-2026rs) - [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs) - [HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4138-2026rs) - [HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4106-2026rs) - [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills) - [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4710-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).