The Green Papers: West Virginia State and Local Government

Governor:1
Senators: 2 (Electoral Classes 1 and 2)
2020 Census: 1,795,045 (0.54% of 331,797,979
- 2024, 2028 Electors: 4 (0.74% of 538)
- 2022-2030 Representatives: 2 (0.46% of 435)
2010 Census: 1,859,815 (0.60% of 309,785,186)
- 2012, 2016, 2020 Electors: 5 (0.93% of 538)
- 2012-2020 Representatives: 3 (0.69% of 435)
Capital: Charleston

Official Name/Status All States

The STATE of West Virginia
Status: STATE of the Union
previously, the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia that had- unlike the rest of that State- remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War
Admitted to the Union as a State: 20 June 1863 through Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on 20 April 1863 (13 Stat. 731) that the conditions set forth in the Enabling Act had been satisfactorily met
The 35th state.

Traditional Sections and Regions All States

Constitutions All States Links to State Constitutions

Enabling Act (of the Congress of the United States): 31 December 1862 [12 Stat. 633: recognizing a State government already formed with Admission pending the meeting of specific conditions set by this Enabling Act [NOTE: prior to its first State Constitutional Convention first meeting in November 1861, an earlier State Convention (on 20 August 1861) had adopted an ordinance of secession from Virginia under the name of the 'State of KANAWHA' (this ordinance was later ratified by the People- on 24 October 1861- by a vote of 18,408 to 781); the 1st Constitution, however, formally adopted the name 'State of WEST VIRGINIA']]
- 1st (1863-1872) [Adopted: 18 February 1862 Convention convened, 26 November 1861, Ratified: 3 April 1862 ratified by vote of 28,321 to 572; effective upon Admission, 20 June 1863]
- 2nd (1872-) [Adopted: 9 April 1872 Convention convened, 16 January 1872, Ratified: 22 August 1872]

Executive Branch All States

Legislative Branch All States

Judicial Branch All States

Local Government All States

PRIMARY CIVIL DIVISION All States
- County [Type: Strong, Executive and Legislative: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS]
  - MINOR CIVIL DIVISION
    - district [Type: None, Executive and Legislative: no associated governmental structure]

Statutory Election Information All States

General Election All States
- Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November
  [WV Constitution: Article IV, Section 7]
Presidential Primary All States
- at the same time as the State Primary [2d Tuesday in May of even-numbered years (WV Code 3-5-1)] in Presidential Election years
  [WV Code 3-5-3]
State Primary All States
- 2d Tuesday in May of even-numbered years
  [WV Code 3-5-1]
Polling times All States
- Polls shall be opened in each precinct on the day of such election at six-thirty o'clock in the forenoon and be closed at seven-thirty o'clock in the evening. [West Virginia Code §3-1-31. Days and hours of elections.]

Links Links to other web sites. These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes.

State and Local Government Outline

Modified .