MORGANTOWN — Monday was supposed to mark the official opening of Morgantown’s 2025 election season.
Then it started snowing, and, like a lot of things in this part of the world, plans were altered.
Now, weather permitting, the 112-day run to the April 29 municipal election will officially begin Tuesday.
The Morgantown City Council seats representing the city’s 2nd, 4th and 6th wards will be on the ballot.
Interested residents of those wards can pick up their certificates of announcement and nominating petitions at the city clerk’s office.
Prospective candidates have until Monday, Feb. 10 to return the petition of candidacy to the city clerk’s office along with a nominating petition including the signatures of 75 qualified voters from their respective ward.
The Dominion Post reached out to councilors Bill Kawecki (2nd), Jenny Selin (4th) and Dave Harshbarger (6th) to ask if each planned to seek another four-year term.
Harshbarger said he plans to announce his intentions at Tuesday’s council meeting. He’s represented the 6th Ward since July of 2019.
Kawecki, who’s served on the body since July 1, 2013, said he’s still weighing the decision.
In addition to three council seats, voters will also have the final word on the much-discussed citywide camping ban as well as a potential charter change.
As reported, council passed the controversial camping ban on a 4-3 vote in September. Just over two months later, a volunteer group following the repeal process laid out in the city’s charter successfully petitioned for the law’s repeal, forcing it back before council with a choice – repeal it or put it before the voters. The body once again split 4-3 in favor of the latter.
As for the charter change, the question before voters will be whether or not they want to give city council the authority to waive residency requirements for the city manager.
Currently, the charter says the city manager doesn’t have to be a city resident at the time of appointment, but “must reside in the city while in office.”
Under the proposed change, the manager “may reside outside the City while in office only with the approval of Council.”
Council voted 4-3 to adopt the charter change by ordinance back in November. However, because a single city resident filed a written objection, council was left with the choice to abandon the charter change or put it on the ballot. The body voted 6-1 to put it before the voters.
Significant election dates include:
March 30 – Thanks to a recently adopted charter amendment, the deadline to withdraw your name as a council candidate is now 30 days prior to Election Day. Prior to the change, the deadline to withdraw actually came before the deadline to file as a candidate.
April 7 – The last day to register to vote ahead of the election.
April 15 – The last day to file as a write-in candidate.
April 16-25 – Early voting at the Historic Depot building, on Garrett Street.
April 29 – Election Day.
For those interested in assisting in the election process, Morgantown City Council recently implemented an increase in poll worker pay from $115 to $222, plus an additional $50 for training.
Election information for voters, candidates and poll workers can be found at morgantownwv.gov.
