Senate adopts amendment extending party-registration deadline after heated debate

The West Virginia Senate on second reading adopted an amendment changing how far before filing candidates must be registered with a political party, following an extended floor debate and a roll-call-style division that produced 21 yays and 13 nays.

The amendment was explained on the floor by the Senior Senator from the Fourth, who said the change would ‘‘help prevent gamesmanship in elections’’ by moving the party-registration deadline to 210 days before candidate filing and thereby curb strategic switches close to filing dates. The Junior Senator from the Fifteenth opposed that amendment, saying it ‘‘would protect incumbents and career politicians’’ and make it harder for prospective candidates — including small-business owners and retired military officers — to enter races on short notice.

During debate the Junior Senator from the Fifteenth argued that a shorter deadline ‘‘encourages new blood, and fresh, good candidates,’’ while the Senior Senator from the Fourth said the longer deadline restores a level playing field and prevents candidates from waiting to see primary results before switching affiliation. After the division was called, the presiding officer announced the vote and declared the amendment adopted.

The amendment was adopted as proposed and the bill, as amended, was advanced to third reading. The Senate did not record the name of the motion mover or seconder on the floor beyond the sponsoring senators’ remarks; the transcript documents the adoption and the division tally but does not show additional changes to the bill text on the floor.