WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – West Virginia voters will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment during the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Amendment 1, known as the Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment, is the only statewide constitutional amendment appearing on the ballot this year.
The proposal would amend the West Virginia Constitution to explicitly require voters in state elections to be citizens of both the United States and West Virginia.
A vote in favor of Amendment 1 would add the U.S. citizenship requirement directly to the state Constitution, while a vote against the amendment would leave the existing constitutional language unchanged.
Under current West Virginia law, individuals who are not U.S. citizens are already prohibited from registering to vote. However, the state Constitution currently refers to citizens of the state without explicitly including a U.S. citizenship requirement.
Supporters of the amendment say the change would clarify voter eligibility requirements and provide additional constitutional protections against future changes to voting qualifications.
The amendment would not change current voter eligibility requirements because federal and state laws already prohibit noncitizens from voting in state elections.
If approved, the citizenship requirement would become part of the West Virginia Constitution, meaning future changes would require another constitutional amendment rather than a change to state law alone.
The proposal requires a simple majority of votes cast on the amendment to pass.
Polls across West Virginia will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
