by WV secretary of State
Mac Warner
I want to thank The Dominion Post for the ongoing Q&A regarding voting in the upcoming Primary Election.
The latest editorial “Voting woes not yet totally solved” asks the question, “Why should we be required to state ‘avoiding coronavirus’ on an application when that’s why we’re being sent an application in the first place?”
The answer is because WV Code Section 3-3-2 (b) requires it, which provides, “A person authorized and desiring to vote a mail-in absentee ballot … in any primary, general or special election is to make application in writing in the proper form … ”
Even in times of crisis, election officials cannot ignore the law. We can, however, make it as easy as possible for people to follow the law and to do so in a uniform fashion. The coronavirus threat to everyone in West Virginia is why clerks have now sent applications to all 1.2 million registered voters in the state.
The other issues raised in the editorial flow from the flawed premise that someone, presumably the governor or I, could overstep the legal requirements and simply send everyone absentee ballots. To the extent the editorial writer or other constituency wants to move to that solution, the push needs to be made to the Legislature to authorize such an approach.
The argument that five states already have all vote-by-mail elections does not overcome W.Va. Code, nor does it address the fraud concern of having extensive numbers of actual ballots arriving at addresses where people no longer live. Ballot harvesting, unnecessary voter assistance, eliminating privacy and voter intimidation are common illegal actions used by bad actors during a mail-in ballot process. And vote-by-mail strips away substantial protections provided by in-person voting at a polling place under the supervision of trained, bi-partisan election workers.
Regarding the assertion, “if our officials get to work now …,” I can assure you the entire state’s election officials have been hard at work seeking solutions. We are continuously communicating with each other, the governor’s office, our counterparts across the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security and national election organizations to ensure West Virginia acts with the latest information and is using best practices to conduct this election.
In fact, many people are seeking answers from West Virginia as they recognize our state as a national leader. Our model Continuity of Operations Plan, Table-Top Exercises, Operation Elective Service, electronic voting options for certain military, overseas and absentee voters with disabilities, our pivotal use of the National Guard in the cyber arena, our absentee ballot application processes and Operation Election Protection — which emphasizes anti-fraud initiatives — are all initiatives and programs created in West Virginia that draw election officials across the U.S. to our state’s approach to election security and integrity.
We welcome the opportunity to explain West Virginia election laws, as well as the legal, funding and timing limitations that frame our options to respond to this state of emergency. This Q&A process provides an excellent opportunity to explain the resultant process by which this election will be conducted. Again, there are no woes to voting in West Virginia, and rest assured all election officials — from municipal clerks to county clerks to the secretary of state — are hard at work seeking solutions. Voting absentee is available to everyone, while people wanting to vote in person may do so during early voting May 27-June 6 or on Election Day, June 9.
Mac Warner was elected West Virginia’s 30th secretary of state in November 2016. He and his wife, Debbie, maintain a home in Monongalia County.
