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Warner updates Wood County Commission on upcoming elections

By Brett Dunlap 5 min read

PARKERSBURG -- West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner was in Wood County on Thursday to meet with county election officials and to highlight efforts to make the upcoming elections secure and fair.

Warner appeared before the Wood County Commission on Thursday to discuss preparations for the upcoming 2024 Primary Election in May and the General Election in November.

Warner was doing a 15-county tour talking in the different counties about the upcoming 2024 elections in which the President of the United States, a U.S. Senator and West Virginia's two U.S. Representatives will all be up for election as well as other local, county and state positions, including Governor.

"Candidates started their official filing this past Monday and we had record numbers filing down in the Secretary of State's Office," Warner said. "I think that speaks well for all West Virginia. You are not going to run for office if you don't trust the elections and trust the process."

All 55 counties in the state will be using Express Vote machines which Warner believes to be among the best available.

One comment from people concerned about the possibility of fraud is they want to have an election with a paper ballot.

This system produces a paper ballot the voter can review before putting in a tabulator to be tallied. If there is a problem, the ballot can be voided and a new one done, Warner said.

"If the voter marked the ballot incorrectly, they can spoil it out and get another," he said.

Candidates can file to run for office through Saturday, Jan. 27. The Secretary of State's Office will be open until midnight. Otherwise, it will be up to the County Clerks in each county on how late they will be open. Warner is telling people applications have to be notarized so not to wait until the last minute to file.

Wood County Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked what kind of challenges and expenses the state would have if they went to just a paper ballot election as he has heard people concerned about voter fraud wanting that.

"It would be hugely expensive and time consuming," Warner said.

"People don't seem to understand that," Colombo responded.

Warner urged people to talk to those involved in doing elections and volunteer to be a poll worker so they can see the process first-hand. They can contact their party's county executive committee or by contacting the County Clerk's office. He also urges people to check GoVoteWV.com for additional information.

Problems can arise when people fill out a paper ballot with a No. 2 pencil. Some people may put the pencil on a spot which makes a mark but they don't fill it in all the way which can be read by a tabulator as a possible vote when another bubble was completely filled in. Others put an X through the bubble or underline the bubble which raises questions about if the voter wants that person or if they don't want that candidate, which has to be sorted out by someone. If the instructions say vote for two, and someone tries to vote for three, that becomes another issue that has to be sorted out.

"With the electronic pencil (which is part of the Express Vote machines) you can't do that," Warner said. "If you try to mark a third candidate it won't let you.

"It reduces or eliminates that human error."

The counties perform hand counts of three randomly picked precincts and any discrepancies have been by the people conducting the hand count, Warner said.

Colombo reiterated the voting machines are not hooked into the internet which Warner also stressed.

Warner said they have been able to remove over 400,000 names that went inactive off the voter registration lists.

"Not one person has complained, saying they were taken off inappropriately," Warner said. "We have not had one lawsuit."

West Virginia has gotten national attention for how it tabulates votes on Election night.

"When it takes days and weeks to report, that is when all the conspiracy theories start," Warner said. "The County Clerks and County Commissions run these elections."

Also, people have cell phones. If they see something they believe to be fraudulent, they can take a picture of it and text it to the Secretary of State's Office to be investigated. They have around 18 investigators in his office as well as his entire staff.

"We can respond to any precinct in the state within an hour," Warner said. "Take a picture of it and we will investigate it.

"It is a deterrent. If you know that anyone with a camera can take a picture of you buying a vote or pushing a slate or doing something improper, this can help to stop it."

Wood County Commission President Blair Couch talked about the space at the new Wood County 911 Center where all of the county's voting machines will be stored and secured with camera monitoring systems and more in place.

He said there are people who want paper ballots as well as no absentee voting or early voting.

"We tell them it is safe and secure," Couch said, adding there are still people who won't believe them. "We appreciate (the Secretary of State's Office) having our backs on this."

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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