Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb7%20intr.htm&yr=2013&sesstype=RS&i=7
Timestamp: 2018-01-24 08:50:51
Document Index: 719608656

Matched Legal Cases: ['§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3', '§3']

(By Senators Jenkins, Barnes, McCabe, Cole and Carmichael)
A BILL to amend and reenact §3-1-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §3-4A-11a of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §3-5-6a; to amend and reenact §3-5-7, §3-5-13 and §3-5-13a of said code; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §3-6-2a, all relating to electing Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals on a nonpartisan basis; establishing the timing and frequency of election; setting forth the ballot design and printing; requiring the election of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals be separate from a partisan ballot; filing the announcement of candidacies; permitting withdrawal of announcement of candidacies; refunding paid filing fees; and setting forth the ballot content and form.
That §3-1-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that §3-4A-11a of said code be amended and reenacted; that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §3-5-6a; that §3-5-7, §3-5-13 and §3-5-13a of said code be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §3-6-2a, all to read as follows:
(a) At the general election to be held in the year 1968, and in every fourth year thereafter, there shall be elected a Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. At the general election in the year 1968, and in every second year thereafter, there shall be elected a member of the state Senate for each senatorial district, and a member or members of the House of Delegates of the state from each county or each delegate district. At the general election to be held in the year 1968, and in every twelve year years thereafter, there shall be elected one judge Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals, and at the general election to be held in the year 1972, and in every twelve year years thereafter, two judges Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, and at the general election to be held in the year 1976, and in every twelve year years thereafter, two judges Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals.
(b) Effective with the general election held in the year 2014, the election of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals shall be held on a nonpartisan basis.
(3) Nonpartisan elections for board of education, Justices for the Supreme Court of Appeals and any question to be voted upon are to be separated from the partisan ballot and separately headed in display type with a title clearly identifying the purpose of the election and constituting a separate ballot wherever a separate ballot is required under the provisions of this chapter.
(c) Except for the offices of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, which are to be filled on a nonpartisan basis beginning at the general election held in the year 2014, the certificate of announcement shall be filed with the proper officer not earlier than the second Monday in January next preceding the primary election day, and not later than the last Saturday in January next preceding the primary election day, and must be received before midnight, eastern standard time, of that day or, if mailed, shall be postmarked by the United States Postal Service before that hour. The office of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, beginning in the year 2014, shall be filled on a nonpartisan basis at the general election. The certificate of announcement shall be filed with the authorized election official not later than the second Tuesday in May, and must be received before midnight, eastern standard time, of that day or, if mailed, shall be postmarked by the United States Postal Service before midnight, eastern standard time, of that day. All certificates of announcement for the office of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals, which were filed not earlier than the second Monday in January next preceding the primary election day, and not later than the last Saturday in January next preceding the primary election day, and were received before midnight, eastern standard time, of that day or, if mailed, were postmarked by the United States Postal Service before that hour, may be withdrawn on or before midnight, eastern standard time, of the second Tuesday in May, in accordance with section eleven, article five of this chapter, with a full refund of any filing fees paid or, if not withdrawn, shall be effective for purposes of the nonpartisan election for such offices to be held on general election day.
(1) The heading of every ballot is to be printed in display type. The heading is to contain a ballot title, the name of the county, the state, the words "Primary Election" and the month, day and year of the election. The ballot title of the political party ballots is to contain the words "Official Ballot of the (Name) Party" and the official symbol of the political party may be included in the heading. The ballot title of any separate paper ballot or portion of any electronic or voting machine ballot for the board of education is to contain the words "Nonpartisan Ballot of Election of Members of the ______________ County Board of Education". The districts for which less than two candidates may be elected and the number of available seats are to be specified and the names of the candidates are to be printed without reference to political party affiliation and without designation as to a particular term of office. The ballot title of any separate paper ballot or portion of any electronic or voting machine ballot for the Supreme Court of Appeals shall contain the words "Nonpartisan Ballot of Election of Justice(s) of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia." The names of the candidates for the Supreme Court of Appeals shall be printed without references to political party affiliation or registration. Any other ballot or portion of a ballot on a question is to have a heading which clearly states the purpose of the election according to the statutory requirements for that question.
(4) When an insufficient number of candidates has filed for a party to make the number of nominations allowed for the office or for the voters to elect sufficient members to the board of education or to executive committees, the vacant positions on the ballot shall be filled with the words "No Candidate Filed": Provided, That in paper ballot systems which allow for write-ins to be made directly on the ballot, a blank line shall be placed in any vacant position in the office of board of education or for election to any party executive committee. A line shall separate each candidate from every other candidate for the same office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, if there are multiple vacant positions on a ballot for one office, the multiple vacant positions which would otherwise be filled with the words "No Candidate Filed" may be replaced with a brief detailed description, approved by the Secretary of State, indicating that there are no candidates listed for the vacant positions.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to elect Supreme Court Justices on a nonpartisan basis. The bill establishes the timing and frequency of election. The bill sets forth the ballot design and printing. The bill requires the election of Justices of the Supreme Court of Appeals be separate from a partisan ballot. The bill nonpartisan election of justices. The bill sets forth filing announcement of candidacies. The bill permits withdrawal of announcement of candidacies. The bill allows for the refunding paid filing fees. The bill sets forth the ballot content and form.