Cabell County Clerk and Secretary of State staff meet with local law enforcement to discuss election preparedness

Huntington, W.Va. – There is a new partnership being developed at the local level to assist county clerks with Election Day security in West Virginia.

Earlier this month, staff members from the WV Secretary of State’s Office participated in a training session and meeting called by Cabell County Clerk Scott Caserta. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss election preparedness and Election Day planning with representatives from every local police department and emergency service provider in Cabell County. Effectively communicating with local law enforcement and first responders is a vital component of the Secretary of State’s Office’s preparedness strategy heading into the November 5 General Election.

Those in attendance for the meeting included the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office, Cabell County Prosecuting Attorney, Cabell County EMS Director, Cabell County 911 Director, Huntington Police Department, Barboursville Police Department, Milton Police Department and the WV State Police. Every organization that was invited to participate in the meeting was represented in the room.

Clerk Caserta and his staff gave an overview of the Election Day process in Cabell County, the precinct locations within each municipality and the need for extra patrols by local departments in the event of an emergency. WVSOS Investigations Director Kim Mason informed attendees of the potential violations they may see at polling locations and how to report those violations to initiate an investigation by our Office.

Communication and coordination between local election officials and their partners in emergency services is a critical component to mitigating potential threats before they become serious issues on Election Day.

"I want to commend Clerk Caserta, his elections team, and those law enforcement and first responder agencies in Cabell County for taking part in this very important meeting," said Secretary of State Mac Warner. "Being proactive and ready to respond to any circumstance is important to creating voter confidence in Election Day."

Photos from the event can be found here.

​For more information on elections in West Virginia including voter registration, absentee voting, and how to become a poll worker, please visit GoVoteWV.com.