West Virginia has officially banned ranked-choice voting following the signing of SB 490 by Governor Morrisey. The legislation, championed by State Senator Woodrum and Delegate Hillenbrand, aims to maintain the integrity of elections in the state. This move aligns West Virginia with 11 other states that have rejected this voting method.
Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing a single candidate. Critics argue that it complicates the electoral process and can lead to issues such as voter disenfranchisement, counting errors, and delayed results.
Emma Garelick, State Government Affairs Director at the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), praised the efforts of Sen. Woodrum and Delegate Hillenbrand. “Sen. Woodrum and Delegate Hillenbrand boldly led the way to protect West Virginia voters by spearheading a complete ban on ranked-choice voting in the Mountain State,” she stated. She further criticized ranked-choice voting as an attack on election integrity, adding, “There has been an effort to implement it across the country, but West Virginia proudly rose up and said, ‘Not in our state!'”
The FGA is a non-profit think tank focused on promoting public policy solutions aimed at fostering opportunities for Americans.
