HB 5219 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Relating to defining residence for the purpose of registration and voting in West Virginia

HB 5219 defines "residence" for voter registration and voting in West Virginia, directly affecting voters registering to cast ballots. The bill establishes clear rules: a person's residence is where they live with intent to return, using their primary sleeping area if boundaries divide their living space. It requires election officials to document residency challenges with a Secretary of State form, giving applicants 30 days to prove residency with evidence like maps. Special provisions clarify that temporary moves (e.g., teachers returning to parents' home, government workers in D.C.) don't change residence status, while voting in another jurisdiction automatically changes it.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 5, 2026 Last action Feb 13, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
0
Committee
4
Feb 12, 2026
Committee
To House Judiciary
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
To House Legal Services
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
To House Judiciary
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
To Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors