Charleston, W.Va. - Voters and candidates can see important dates and deadlines for the upcoming special election by logging on to the Secretary of State’s website at
www.wvsos.com.
The link at the top of the website will take citizens to another page with a calendar that lays out the
candidate filing period, deadlines for voter registration, the early voting period, and the
date for the special election.
There is also a link to see the
Governor’s Proclamation declaring the special election,
the bill passed by the Legislature, and frequently asked questions and answers. There is also information for people who want information on
how to become a candidate.
“The most important thing right now is voter and candidate education,” Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant said. “We have all the information people might need laid out very simply on our website. And I hope everyone takes a few minutes and visits our website and learns about this process – because it is pretty rare to have a statewide election in a month other than May and November.”
The special primary election to fill the unexpired term left following the death of Senator Robert C. Byrd is set for Saturday, August 28, 2010.
Polls will be open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM on August 28. Early voting will be held from Friday, August 20 to Wednesday, August 25.
There will be no early voting on Sunday, August 22.
The general election for this office will take place with the normally scheduled November 2, 2010 election.
Candidates who want to run for the unexpired term can file their certificate of announcement with the Secretary of State’s Office from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM until Friday, July 23, 2010. Candidates must also pay the $1,740 filing fee.
The qualifications to be a United States Senator are laid out in the Constitution: A candidate must be at least 30 years old, be a nine year citizen of the United States, and when elected must be a West Virginia resident.