Navigating Absentee Voting This Fall And Water Utility Woes

On this West Virginia Morning, Secretary of State Mac Warner announced some voting policies this week in the run up to the general election in November. Specifically, voters will have to ask for an absentee ballot application instead of automatically receiving one in the mail. Also, in this show, we hear a report on a small, failing water utility in Fayette County.

A federal oversight agency says MSHA – the Mine Safety and Health Administration – has not done enough to protect coal miners during the pandemic. Sydney Boles reports.

WVU Medicine’s two Eastern Panhandle hospitals have lifted the zero-visitation policy put in place to combat the coronavirus. Liz McCormick reports.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission, or PSC, is urging a small, failing water utility in Fayette County to consider letting a larger provider take over its water treatment system. Under a bill signed by Gov. Jim Justice in March, the Commission could force an acquisition, if the regulatory agency finds that it’s necessary. Emily Allen has more.

All registered voters in West Virginia will be able to use the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as a reason to get an absentee ballot for the November general election. But a tweak in the process of how voters can access those applications – and, thus, an absentee ballot – has revived a debate over voting during the pandemic in the race for West Virginia’s Secretary of State. Dave Mistich reports.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning