Secretary of State Mac Warner Story Archives - Page 5 of 5

Over a Thousand High School Students Registered to Vote

Last Month, more than a thousand West Virginia high school students registered to vote. Secretary of State Mac Warner says he hopes to see even more eligible young voters sign up to vote in November.

Thirteen high schools across West Virginia conducted voter registration drives in the month of October. Secretary of State Mac Warner said these drives show the, “level of commitment school administrators have for the civic engagement of our youngest voters.”

The Secretary’s Office recognizes high schools who register 100 percent of their students. Those schools will receive the Jennings Randolph Award. The award is named for former U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph from West Virginia, who in 1971 helped pass the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That legislation lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

Last school year, a record high of 16 high schools across the Mountain State earned the Jennings Randolph award. Another 14 voter registration drives are being planned in the month of November.

West Virginia National Guard to Monitor Election Systems

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner says his office is partnering with the West Virginia Air National Guard to protect state election systems from potential computer threats.

Warner says in a news release that a National Guard member specializing in cyber systems operations will join the daily operations of the Secretary of State’s Office to assess elections systems and monitor computer security.

Warner says his office will use every resource available to protect the democratic process, protect voters’ private information and ensure voting accuracy.

He says the partnership “should ease the minds of West Virginians that share in the concerns of foreign or domestic cyber interference of our elections process.”

National Voter Registration Month Comes Just Ahead of Special Election

With National Voter Registration Month in September coming just ahead of a statewide special election, the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office is encouraging voters to make sure their registration makes them eligible to head to the polls in early October.

The deadline to register to vote on the upcoming road bond amendment is on or before Monday, September 18th. Those who are not yet registered to vote or need to update their current registration must do so before the deadline. Voters with up-to-date registrations are already eligible to vote in the upcoming special election.

Secretary of State Mac Warner said National Voter Registration Month, combined with the unusual timing of the upcoming election, is cause to encourage voters to make sure their registrations are correct.

“People think of elections in November — the general elections — and in May are the primaries here in West Virginia. So, having an election in October is out of the norm,” said Warner.

The special election to consider a $1.6 billion road bond amendment is scheduled for Saturday, October 7th. Early voting for the~special election begins on Friday, September 22nd and continues — except on Sunday’s — until Wednesday, October 4th.