Secretary of State Kris Warner reports 4,255 new voters during National Voter Registration Month in September

Charleston, W.Va. – September was National Voter Registration Month and the WV Secretary of State's Office took the entire month to encourage eligible citizens to register to vote.

National Voter Registration Month is a program sponsored by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS). National Voter Registration Month was started in 2002 and is an annual reminder that the foundation of our constitutional republic rests not just on the right to vote, but on the civic responsibility to be registered and ready to exercise that right.

"In every election, whether local, state, or national, voting is the most direct way citizens contribute to shaping the future of their communities and our country," said Secretary of State Kris Warner." But that power begins with one simple act: registering to vote."

According to Secretary Warner, National Voter Registration Month is an opportunity for his office and local county clerks to educate, engage, and empower eligible West Virginians to register to vote.

Secretary Warner reports that a total of 4,255 new voter registrations were added to the Statewide Voter Registration System during National Voter Registration Month in West Virginia. County Clerks throughout the state worked with local schools, political committees, and senior centers to encourage eligible citizens to register to vote.

Of that total, an estimated 1,375 eligible high school students throughout West Virginia registered to vote during the National Voter Registration Month drive.

The Secretary of State's Field Services Team worked with county clerks to organize more than 30 voter registration drives throughout the state. Secretary Warner personally visited 18 high schools from September 2 to October 2 talking with students about the right to vote and West Virginia's unique role in the passage of the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution. It took the late U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) more than 29 years to get the 26th Amendment passed to reduce the voting age from 21 to 18.

"In West Virginia, we’ve made it easier than ever to register to vote and to keep your voter registration accurate and updated," said Secretary Warner. "Eligible West Virginia citizens can register online, check their registration status, and find information about upcoming elections at GoVoteWV.com." ​