PINEVILLE, W.Va. – For the June 14, 2022, Town of Pineville municipal election, candidates for mayor, recorder, and council member must file a Certificate of Announcement during the following period: Monday through Friday, January 10, 2022 through January 28, 2022, during the regular Town Hall office hours of 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 29, 2022, during the hours of 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
The Municipal Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement or Municipal Write-In Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement must be filed with Recorder Victoria Knight Clay within the appropriate filing periods.
The deadline to file a Write-In Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement is March 22, 2022.
If you wish to obtain a Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement or Municipal Write-In Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement to file for the office of mayor, recorder, or council member and to actually file for the office of mayor, recorder, or council member, you must phone Town Manager Kathy Bradford at 304-732 6255 Ext. 4 to make an appointment to meet with Recorder Victoria Knight Clay during regular Town Hall business hours.
Filing the Certificate of Announcement with Recorder Victoria Knight Clay is crucial. If the document is not received in the correct filing office or mailed by the DEADLINE, you will not be certified as a candidate. Late filings cannot be accepted. Furthermore, you must pay your filing fee, which is 1% of the annual salary, in cash at the time of filing. The following filing fees apply and must be paid in
CASH:
Council Member $6.00
Recorder $30.00
Mayor $36.00
The certificate for announcement cannot be accepted prior to January 10, 2022. If this form is received or postmarked before January 10, 2022, it will be returned. Filings mailed must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service before midnight on January 29, 2022. If candidates for office use an express shipping service (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.), their filing must be RECEIVED by midnight January 29, 2022 in the Pineville Town Hall. Late filings cannot be accepted.
Any candidate who wishes to raise money for his/her campaign before the official candidate filing period of January 10, 2022, must first file a Pre-Candidacy Registration Form with the Recorder Victoria Knight Clay. Furthermore, you must file with Recorder Victoria Knight Clay a campaign financial statement 15 days prior to the June 14, 2022 municipal election or within 4 business days thereafter. (W. Va. Code $ 3-8-5a)
It is a fundamental right to run for office for those that are eligible. Importantly, it is the candidate’s responsibility to determine whether they are eligible to become a candidate or hold the office.
“Residence” has been defined by the West Virginia Supreme Court as the place where you physically live and intend to remain indefinitely. A business location where you do not live cannot be established as a residence.
Property which you rent to someone else is not your residence. A post office box does not establish residence. Acandidate is required to state his or her residence address under oath on the candidate’s Certificate of Announcement. Consequently, the intention to establish residence by Election Day might not be sufficient for a non-resident to be placed on the ballot because there is no certainty that person will become an actual resident. Accordingly, candidate eligibility could be challenged and criminal penalties could be imposed if the candidate falsified the Certificate of Announcement. (W. Va. Code § 3-5-7)
The candidates for mayor, recorder, and council member must be residents of the Town of Pineville city limits and must be qualified voters entitled to vote for members of its governing body. (W. Va. Code $ 8-5-7)
Municipal candidates must be a minimum of 18 years of age, be a resident of the municipality, and not be under conviction of a felony or other disqualification.
The eligibility requirements are generally applied as of the day of the election. For example, a person who is 17 years old at the time of filing, but will be 18 by the date of the municipal election, may be a candidate for office.
Anyone who files a Pre-Candidacy Registration From and/or a Candidate’s Certificate of Announcement is required to file Campaign Finance Reports. All funds received and expenses associated with your election must be reported by name of contributor and the amount received, no matter how small.
Ballot positions shall be randomly selected. The ballot position drawing for the Town of Pineville Municipal Election will be held at 9:00 a.m. on February 22, 2022 (fourth Tuesday following the close of candidate filing) in the Council Chambers of Pineville Town Hall. All candidates for office are invited to attend this ballot position drawing. (W. Va. Code $ $ 3-5-13a and 3-6-2)
The last day to withdraw your name from the ballot and decline to run as a candidate for office is February 15, 2022 (third Tuesday following close of candidate filing). You must file the Certificate of Withdrawal in the same filing office where you filed the Certificate of Announcement. This filing must be received in the correct filing office by the deadline. A postmark date does not apply. (W.Va. Code $ 3-5-11)
All forms referenced in this press release are available on the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website. Election questions must be addressed by email [email protected] to Victoria Knight Clay, Recorder for the Town of Pineville, West Virginia.