2026 Regular Session

HB 4477

To give the Secretary of State authority to refer allegations of violations of election laws to West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute.

In Second Chamber

Jurisdiction

West Virginia

Session

2026 Regular Session

Official source

Chamber

House of Delegates

Session

2026 Regular Session

Jurisdiction

West Virginia

Bill overview

This bill changes the process for handling allegations of election law violations in West Virginia. Currently, the Secretary of State refers these allegations to the county prosecuting attorney. This bill requires the Secretary of State to refer potential election fraud to the Attorney General instead. The Attorney General would then have the authority to prosecute county and municipal elected officials in specific circumstances, such as corruption or election fraud.

Key provisions

The Secretary of State must refer potential election fraud to the Attorney General.
The Attorney General will have prosecutorial power over county and municipal elected officials in certain cases.
A county prosecutor may be recalled for prosecutorial misconduct.
A citizen can petition the Attorney General to recall a prosecutor.
The Attorney General will review petitions to recall prosecutors.
The Secretary of State retains authority to investigate election laws and report violations.

Who is affected

West Virginia voters
County and municipal elected officials
County prosecuting attorneys
The Secretary of State
The Attorney General

Notable changes

Shifts prosecutorial responsibility from county prosecutors to the Attorney General.
Establishes a mechanism for recalling county prosecutors for misconduct.
Creates a process for judicial officers, citizens, and parties to petition the Attorney General regarding prosecutor recall.

Positions across the state

No public positions recorded for this legislation.

Arguments in favor

Reasons to support this legislation.

No arguments in favor have been submitted.

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Arguments opposed

Reasons to oppose this legislation.

No arguments opposed have been submitted.

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Legislative history

2026-01-16House

Filed for introduction

2026-01-16House

To Judiciary

2026-01-16House

Introduced in House

2026-01-16House

To House Judiciary

Passage without roll call

The official record shows passage by unanimous consent or voice vote where no roll call was taken. No member-level tally is available for these steps, and the district map does not apply.

2/27/2026HouseVoice vote
Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)
No roll-call vote on record for this action.
2/26/2026HouseVoice vote
Amendment adopted (Voice vote)
No roll-call vote on record for this action.

Vote map

House districts

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0 districts with vote data

Nay

Yea

Floor votes and chamber actions

Recorded roll calls list how each member voted. Unanimous consent or voice vote appears in the official action history without a roll call; no member-level tally is available for those steps.

Passage without roll call

2/27/2026HouseVoice vote
Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)
No roll-call vote on record for this action.
2/26/2026HouseVoice vote
Amendment adopted (Voice vote)
No roll-call vote on record for this action.

Recorded roll calls

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HB 4477

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Notable changes

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the state

Arguments in favor

Arguments opposed

Passage without roll call

Vote map

Floor votes and chamber actions

Passage without roll call

Recorded roll calls

Bill text

Positions across the state

Passage without roll call

Vote map

Floor votes and chamber actions

Passage without roll call

Recorded roll calls