# West Virginia SB 481: Relating to elections West Virginia SB 481, Relating to elections, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jack Woodrum (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-06-25 (Chapter 131, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB481-2026rs - 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 SB 481 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Relating to elections - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-19 - Last action: 2026-06-25, Chapter 131, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Jack Woodrum (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: §3-1-5, §3-1-29 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (258 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Election board staffing and city-only exception: benefit, low. A standard receiving board must have at least five people: a team of poll clerks, a team of election commissioners for the ballot box, and one extra commissioner. For paper ballots, the counting board must include a team of poll clerks, a team of election commissioners, and one extra commissioner.… - Precinct lines match city and Census maps: benefit, low. Counties must set precinct lines to match city limits and city wards unless that is wholly impracticable. Cities must give current boundary maps to the county clerk. Precinct lines must follow Census‑recognized features like streets, streams, railroads, or ridge lines. Counties must update lines to… - State centralizes redistricting data and maps: benefit, low. Each county must send updated precinct boundaries and data so the state can take part in Census redistricting projects. The Secretary of State serves as the Legislature’s agent to the U.S. Census Bureau and submits, verifies, and shares those files with legislative leaders. After redistricting ends… - Precinct size and consolidation rules: mixed, low. Counties must divide each magisterial district into numbered precincts, with one voting place in each. In urban centers, precincts must have 300–1,500 registered voters; in rural areas, 200–700. Counties must fix any precinct above the maximum, and may allow one below the minimum only with a writte… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jack Woodrum (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Bill Hamilton (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 597) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 420) | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | Effective from passage (Roll No. 421) | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 325) | pass | 33 | 0 | | ## Actions (41) - 2026-06-25: Chapter 131, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: To Governor 3/18/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-14: To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal (House) - 2026-03-13: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Senate concurred in House changed effective date (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Effective from passage (Roll No. 597) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2026-03-12: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-12: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-03-12: Passed House (Roll No. 420) (House) - 2026-03-12: Effective from passage (Roll No. 421) (House) - 2026-03-12: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-12: Completed legislative action (Senate) - 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-11: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-03-10: Do pass (House) - 2026-03-10: Immediate consideration (House) - 2026-03-10: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-03-09: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-03-05: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-03-05: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-03-05: To Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-05: To House Judiciary (House) - 2026-03-04: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Passed Senate (Roll No. 325) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Ordered to House (Senate) - 2026-03-03: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Reported do pass (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Committee substitute reported, but first to Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-23: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-19: Filed for introduction (Senate) - 2026-01-19: To Government Organization then Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-19: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-01-19: To Government Organization (Senate) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313. (signed) - HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for ne… (signed) - HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed) - HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed) - HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed) - HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb481 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5694-2026rs) - [HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5353-2026rs) - [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs) - [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 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs) - [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs) - [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-SB481-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).