County Boundary Review Amendment

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Oliverio

Allows the Legislature to redraw or consolidate WV counties every 100 years starting 2031, with voter approval in affected counties at the next general election.

To Judiciary

#constitutionalamendments

Summary of Bill: SJR 1 (2026) – County Boundary Review Amendment (West Virginia)

Purpose and intent

SJR 1 proposes a constitutional amendment to Article IX of the West Virginia Constitution.

The amendment would authorize the Legislature to redraw and/or combine counties every 100 years, starting in 2031, if it determines such changes would benefit residents.

The proposal is designed to give the Legislature a formal, periodic process to reassess county boundaries based on population, demographics, and transportation considerations.

Key provisions and changes proposed

Introduction of a new section (§ 14) in Article IX titled “Redrawing County Boundaries.”

Timing: The annual or periodic review would begin in the year 2031 and continue every 100 years thereafter.

Criteria for action: The Legislature would review:

Population data
Demographic factors
Available routes and means of transportation

Action allowed: The Legislature may:

Redraw county boundaries, or
Combine two or more counties into a single county jurisdiction

Public process: Any proposed new boundaries resulting from such actions must be submitted to the voters within the affected counties at the next general election for a vote on approval or disapproval.

Constitutional framing: The amendment is framed to require voter ratification at the next general election following passage (per standard process for constitutional amendments in West Virginia). It would be designated as Amendment 1.

Purpose statement (summary): The amendment would enable periodic assessment and potential redrawing or consolidation of counties to reflect changing needs and circumstances, with voter participation on approved boundary changes.

Who/what would be affected

Geographic and political boundaries: Counties in West Virginia could be redrawn or restructured (combined) based on the Legislature’s review.

Voters in affected counties: Citizens would vote at the next general election on any proposed boundary changes affecting their county.

Local governance: County lines and governance structures could change, potentially impacting county services, representation, budgetary arrangements, and intergovernmental relations.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: Introduced January 14, 2026; referred to the Judiciary Committee and then to Finance.

Next steps: If advanced and approved by the Legislature, the amendment would be placed on the ballot for ratification by voters at the 2026 general election (as required for constitutional amendments in West Virginia).

Decision mechanism: Requires two-thirds approval by members elected to both chambers of the Legislature to qualify for voter consideration.

Post-ratification implementation: Upon voter ratification, the new constitutional provision would govern subsequent cycles (every 100 years, starting 2031) for potential county boundary redrawing or consolidation.

Notes

The bill is a constitutional amendment proposal, not ordinary legislation.

It relies on a periodic, state-level review rather than autonomous county boundary changes, with final community approval through a ballot vote in the affected counties.

If you’d like, I can compare this proposal to current WV county boundary rules or outline potential policy and fiscal implications for counties likely to be affected.