Citizen Group Lauds Win in Court Decision to Hold Quick Election for Governor

Contact:  Gary Zuckett 304-437-3701

Citizen Group Lauds Win in Court Decision to Hold Quick Election for Governor

Charleston, WV – The WV Supreme Court’s decision to call for a new election for governor this year was welcomed by the West Virginia Citizen Action group’s Executive Director, Gary Zuckett as the ruling came down from the court this afternoon, “We are extremely pleased the court agreed with our petition to hold early elections for governor this year. The citizens of the state deserve the right to vote for their governor sooner rather than later,” said Zuckett.

The court ruled unconstitutional the WV statute that acting governor Tomblin was using as the basis for his opinion that a new election wasn’t needed until November 2012 and required him to call for a new election this year. They further said that an acting governor could serve no longer than one year.

“We feel the Secretary of State’s office and the WV Legislature along with the acting governor now have the direction they need from the court to proceed,” added Zuckett, “There is ample time left this year to hold an orderly and secure election for governor even if the legislature decides to change the current law that calls for state party conventions to serve as the ‘primary’ and actually have a primary election, in addition to a general.”

The official ruling can be found at:
http://www.state.wv.us/wvsca/docs/spring11/101494.pdf