West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 481 — Relating to elections

Last action — Chapter 131, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 19, 2026. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 74% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

This bill addresses various aspects related to elections.

The bill focuses on several issues concerning the electoral process. It has gone through initial stages in the legislative process, including committee review.

Summary

Relating to elections

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

96 added · 80 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to SB 481 focus on changing how voting locations are defined and reported. The term "precinct" has been updated to "polling location," making it clearer that each voting spot needs to be reported independently. This change is important because it aims to improve the transparency and organization of elections, potentially leading to better voter access and management during ballot casting. Overall, these adjustments intend to enhance the electoral process in West Virginia.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 481 BYSENATORSWOODRUM ANHAMILTON [Reported January 23, 2026, from the Committee on Government Organization] CS for SB 481 A BILL to amend and reenact §3-1-5 and §3-1-29 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to elections;
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 481 BYSENATORSWOODRUM ANHAMILTON [Passed March 12, 2026;
in effect from passage] Enr CS for SB 481 AN ACT to amend and reenact §3-1-5 and §3-1-29 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to elections;
Provided, however, That no precincts may be consolidated pursuant to this section if the consolidation would create a geographical CS for SB 481 barrier or path of travel between voters in a precinct and their proposed new polling place that would create an undue hardship to voters of any current precinct.
Provided, however, That no precincts may be consolidated pursuant to this section if the consolidation would create a geographical Enr CS for SB 481 barrier or path of travel between voters in a precinct and their proposed new polling place that would create an undue hardship to voters of any current precinct.
Each precinct shall be operated separately and reported independently.
Each precinct shall be reported independently.
with separate voting booths, ballot boxes, election commissioners and clerks, and whenever possible, in separate rooms.
No two precincts may use the same standard receiving board, except as permitted by the provisions of §3-1-30(j) of this code.
The county commission of every county shall modify precinct boundaries to follow geographic physical CS for SB 481 features or municipal boundaries recognized by the U.S.
The county commission of every county shall modify precinct boundaries to follow geographic physical features or municipal boundaries recognized by the U.S.
Census Bureau which will include tabulation geography that supports the needs of the Legislature during the federal congressional and state legislative redistricting process, and the needs of county commissions during the magisterial district and precinct redistricting process:
Census Bureau which will include tabulation geography that supports the needs of the Legislature during the Enr CS for SB 481 federal congressional and state legislative redistricting process, and the needs of county commissions during the magisterial district and precinct redistricting process:
The Secretary of State shall submit such maps and accompanying technical CS for SB 481 files to the U.S.
The Secretary of State shall submit such maps and accompanying technical files to the U.S.
The Secretary of State shall maintain previous maps and technical files submitted by the Legislature in its records.
The Enr CS for SB 481 Secretary of State shall maintain previous maps and technical files submitted by the Legislature in its records.
(1) The term "standard receiving board" means those election officials charged with conducting the process of voting within a precinct polling location and consists of no less than five persons, to be comprised as follows:
(1) The term "standard receiving board" means those election officials charged with conducting the process of voting within a polling location and consists of no less than five persons, to be comprised as follows:
(A) Each precinct polling location shall have at least one team of poll clerks, one team of election commissioners for the ballot box, and one additional election commissioner;
(A) Each polling location shall have at least one team of poll clerks, one team of election commissioners for the ballot box, and one additional election commissioner;
and (B) At the discretion of the county clerk and county commission, any county may add additional teams of poll clerks and commissioners to any precinct polling location, as necessary to fairly and efficiently conduct an election;
and (B) At the discretion of the county clerk and county commission, any county may add additional teams of poll clerks and commissioners to any polling location, as necessary to fairly and efficiently conduct an election;
CS for SB 481 (2) The term "counting board" means those election officials charged with counting the ballots at the precinct polling location in counties using paper ballots and includes one team of poll clerks, one team of election commissioners, and one additional commissioner.
(2) The term "counting board" means those election officials charged with counting the ballots at the polling location in counties using paper ballots and includes one team of poll clerks, one team of election commissioners, and one additional commissioner.
(3) The term "team of poll clerks" or "team of election commissioners" means two persons appointed by opposite political parties to perform the specific functions of the office:
Enr CS for SB 481 (3) The term "team of poll clerks" or "team of election commissioners" means two persons appointed by opposite political parties to perform the specific functions of the office:
(b) For each primary and general election in the county, the county commission shall designate the number and type of election boards for the various precincts polling locations according to the provisions of this section.
(b) For each primary and general election in the county, the county commission shall designate the number and type of election boards for the various polling locations according to the provisions of this section.
Enr CS for SB 481 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.
In effect from passage.
...............................................................
President of the Senate ...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 7
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Government Organization then Judiciary

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Government Organization

  5. Committee substitute reported, but first to Judiciary

  6. To Judiciary

  7. Reported do pass

  8. Immediate consideration

  9. Read 1st time

  10. On 2nd reading

  11. Read 2nd time

  12. On 3rd reading

  13. Read 3rd time

  14. Passed Senate (Roll No. 325)

  15. Ordered to House

  16. House received Senate message

  17. Introduced in House

  18. To Judiciary

  19. To House Judiciary

  20. Markup Discussion

  21. Do pass

  22. Immediate consideration

  23. Read 1st time

  24. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  25. Read 2nd time

  26. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  27. Read 3rd time

  28. Passed House (Roll No. 420)

  29. Effective from passage (Roll No. 421)

  30. Communicated to Senate

  31. House Message received

  32. Senate concurred in House changed effective date

  33. Effective from passage (Roll No. 597)

  34. Communicated to House

  35. Completed legislative action

  36. To Governor 3/18/2026

  37. To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal

  38. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026

  39. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

  40. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal

  41. Chapter 131, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 150 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Woodrum

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (150)

150 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 150 →

"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

Votes

Roll Call

Passed 33 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Democrat 4000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 33001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Not Voting
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Roll Call

Passed 33 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Unaffiliated 1000
Democrat 4000
Total 33001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Not Voting
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 481 do?
Relating to elections
Who sponsors SB 481?
SB 481 is sponsored by Woodrum and Bill Hamilton (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 481?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 19, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 481?
Track SB 481 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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