ELECTION INTEGRITY: Secretary of State Kris Warner says 2025 legislative session focused on election security and transparency

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Charleston, W.Va. – It is now nearly one month since the 2025 legislative session concluded on April 12, which marked a significant step forward for the future of election security, according to WV Secretary of State Kris Warner.

Secretary Warner said that the 60-day session was very productive in securing the state's elections. He commended legislators for working with his office to pass several key pieces of legislation. Warner, who became West Virginia's 31st Secretary of State on January 13, noted that his first opportunity to work with legislators proved to be very successful.

According to Warner, six of his key election-related legislative initiatives were passed during the session. Overall, the legislature passed eight elections-specific measures. Warner highlighted that House Bill 3016, which requires photo identification to vote, was the most popular initiative among legislators, receiving overwhelming support.

HB 3016 requires voters to present a form of photo identification when appearing in-person to vote during an election. According to recent research, ten states require photo ID to vote, while another thirteen allow poll workers to request a photo ID under certain circumstances, and thirty-six states requires some form of identification.

Warner pointed out that photographs are already required for common forms of identification such as driver’s licenses and passports. For those who do not have or cannot obtain one of the required forms of photo ID, the Secretary of State’s Office can issue a free photo voter registration card.

"A photo ID is a reasonable requirement to prevent voter fraud and give voters confidence that every vote is cast by an eligible voter,” said Secretary Warner.

Another initiative by Warner was SB 86, which prohibits municipalities from allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections.

“Voting is a fundamental right that belongs to American citizens,” Warner said. “Federal law already restricts voting in federal elections to U.S. Citizens, so it’s just common sense that the same standard applies at every level of elections in West Virginia.”

Secretary Warner provided a summary of his six election-related initiatives that passed during the 2025 legislative session:

• SB 487 - Reduces the waiting period for election officials must wait to send address confirmation notices from four to two years, in alignment with U.S. Supreme Court precedent.
• SB 486 - Clarifies voter eligibility qualifications, expressly providing that only U.S. citizens may vote in all elections held in West Virginia.
• SB 490 - Prohibits ranked-choice voting in West Virginia elections.
• HB 3016 - Requires that all forms of acceptable ID used for in-person voting in West Virginia include a photograph, with limited exceptions.
• SB 485 - Authorizes the Secretary of State's Office to design a competitive procurement process for purchasing critical election infrastructure, while requiring public disclosure of award documentation for transparency.
• SB 369 - A legislative rules bundle that includes a State Election Commission rule that promotes campaign finances transparency and clarifies permitted activities by political committees. ​

Warner said that the legislature's efforts to enhance the security and transparency of the election process should be commended by all West Virginians.