Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia County, speaks to the House of Representatives on Monday, February 9, 2026, in Charleston, West Virginia. Hansen and Del. Rep. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, proposed four amendments — all of which were defeated — to a bill that would change the state’s mail-in voting deadlines. The bill is up for a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. (Photo by Perry Bennett/West Virginia Legislative Photography)
After delegates rejected changes to the bill, legislation is up for a vote in the House that would require mail-in ballots to be received by the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office by the end of Election Day.
Under current law, mail-in ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received before the votes are officially counted.
If House Bill 4600 If the law goes into effect, mail-in ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. A similar bill last year was one of many “Election integrity” Bills introduced last year Last year’s bill passed the House of Representatives last year but did not make it to a vote in the Senate in time.
Delegates on Monday rejected four separate amendments from Democrats Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia County, and Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, that would have provided exemptions for college students studying outside their home country, ailing and disabled people, the elderly and military members serving in other countries.
“I am proposing this amendment because I believe the pursuit of education should not cost West Virginians their voice in our democracy,” Hansen said.
Lawmaker Rick Hillenbrand, R-Hamphire, spoke against the change and said college students should educate themselves about deadlines.
“Wouldn’t you think that college probably isn’t a better place to learn that deadlines are deadlines?” he said. “Students routinely have exams and the teacher says that’s fine, you can hand in your exams a few days after everyone else and then we’ll see how they did?”
Hillenbrand said the legislation is about voter integrity and disenfranchisement.
“I don’t want a ballot that someone thinks they’ve cast to show up late. It’s about getting things done on time,” he said. “And I’m sure you pay most of your bills on time. Maybe I’m wrong, but if you’re late there are penalties. I think it shouldn’t be any different. The deadline is the deadline is the deadline.”
Democrats have argued that the bill could disenfranchise rural voters and others who rely on the United States Postal Service to send their ballots to the secretary of state based on “conspiracy theories” about voter fraud.
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill on Tuesday.
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