West Virginia 2025 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 20 R cosponsors

SJR 8 — Citizenship Requirement to Vote in WV Elections Amendment

Last action — To House Judiciary

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

4 added · 4 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to Bill SJR 8 clarify that only U.S. citizens residing in West Virginia can vote in state elections. This modification aims to ensure that voting rights are strictly reserved for citizens, which advocates argue enhances the democratic process by maintaining the integrity of elections. Additionally, the bill now specifies that the proposed amendment will be presented to voters in the 2026 general election, giving the public a direct say in this new requirement.

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NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS sjr8 sub2 « Senate Joint Resolution 8 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Committee Substitute (1)  |  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:
NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS sjr8 sub1 « Senate Joint Resolution 8 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Committee Substitute (2)  |  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:
Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature2025 regular sessionCommittee SubstituteforCommittee SubstituteforSenate Joint Resolution 8By Senators Rucker, Azinger, Barrett, Chapman, Grady, Martin, Maynard, Rose, Takubo, Taylor, Weld, Morris, Helton, Thorne, Smith (Mr.
Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature2025 regular sessionCommittee SubstituteforSenate Joint Resolution 8By Senators Rucker, Azinger, Barrett, Chapman, Grady, Martin, Maynard, Rose, Takubo, Taylor, Weld, Morris, Helton, Thorne, Smith (Mr.
President), Bartlett, Clements, Willis, Deeds, Hart, and Woodrum[Reported March 31, 2025, from the Committee on Finance]   Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, amending section 1, article IV thereof, to prohibit persons who are not United States citizens from voting in any elections held in West Virginia;
President), Bartlett, and Clements[Reported February 21, 2025, from the Committee on the Judiciary]  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, amending section 1, article IV thereof, to prohibit persons who are not United States citizens from voting in any elections held in West Virginia;
The citizens of the state shall be entitled to vote at all elections held within the counties in which they respectively reside;
The citizens of the state who are citizens of the United States shall be entitled to vote at all elections held within the counties in which they respectively reside;
but no person who is a minor, or who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction, or who is under conviction of treason, felony, or bribery in an election, or who has not been a resident of the state and of the county in which he or she offers to vote, for 30 days next preceding such offer, shall be permitted to vote while such disability continues;
but no person who is a minor, or who has been declared mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction, or who is under conviction of treason, felony, or bribery in an election, or who has not been a resident of the state and of the county in which he offers to vote, for 30 days next preceding such offer, shall be permitted to vote while such disability continues;
but no person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States shall be deemed a resident of this state by reason of being stationed therein, nor shall any person who is not a citizen of the United States be entitled to vote at any election held within this state.Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of article eleven, chapter three of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, such amendment is hereby numbered "Amendment 1" and designated as the "Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment" and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows:
but no person in the military, naval, or marine service of the United States shall be deemed a resident of this state by reason of being stationed therein.Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of article eleven, chapter three of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, such amendment is hereby numbered "Amendment 1" and designated as the "Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment" and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows:
 "This amendment provides that in all elections held in West Virginia only citizens of this state who are citizens of the United States are qualified to vote." NOTE:
 "This amendment provides that in all elections held in West Virginia only citizens of this state who are citizens of the United States are qualified to vote." Bill Status  |  Bill Tracking  |  Legacy WV Code  |  Bulletin Board  |  District Maps  |  Senate Roster  |  House Roster  |  Live  |  Blog  |  Jobs  |  Links  |  Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.
The purpose of this resolution is to propose an amendment to the Constitution to provide that in all elections held in West Virginia only citizens of the state who are citizens of the United States are qualified to vote.Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
Bill Status  |  Bill Tracking  |  Legacy WV Code  |  Bulletin Board  |  District Maps  |  Senate Roster  |  House Roster  |  Live  |  Blog  |  Jobs  |  Links  |  Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.
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Action History

  1. To House Judiciary

  2. To Judiciary

  3. Introduced in House

  4. House received Senate message

  5. Ordered to House

  6. Adopted by Senate (Roll No. 298)

  7. Read 3rd time

  8. On 3rd reading

  9. Read 2nd time

  10. On 2nd reading

  11. Read 1st time

  12. Immediate consideration

  13. Committee substitute for committee substitute reported

  14. To Finance

  15. Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

  16. To Judiciary

  17. Introduced in Senate

  18. To Judiciary then Finance

  19. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 20 co-sponsors · 131 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (20)

Not signed on (131)

131 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights elections
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SJR 8?
SJR 8 is sponsored by Patricia Rucker (Republican), Mike Azinger (Republican), Jason Barrett (Republican), Laura Wakim Chapman (Republican), Amy Grady (Republican), Mark R. Maynard (Republican), Chris Rose (Republican), Tom Takubo (Republican), Jay Taylor (Republican), Ryan Weld (Republican), Robbie Morris (Republican), Brian Helton (Republican), Darren Thorne (Republican), T. Kevan Bartlett (Republican), Charles H. Clements (Republican), Willis, Vince Deeds (Republican), Craig A. Hart (Republican), Jack Woodrum (Republican), Randy E. Smith (Republican), and Patrick Martin (Republican).
What is the current status of SJR 8?
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SJR 8?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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