CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey joined a coalition of attorneys general in calling upon congressional leadership to kill legislation that will undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.
The coalition argues that House Resolution 1, which is currently before Congress, takes away the states’ constitutional right to regulate elections and gives it to the federal government.
“The Act takes a one-sided approach to governing and usurps states’ authority over elections,” Attorney General Morrisey joined in writing. “With confidence in elections at a record low, the country’s focus should be on building trust in the electoral process.”
The coalition’s letter, sent late afternoon Wednesday, argues HR 1 would amount to an unconstitutional override of state election laws, unlawfully requiring states to implement mail-in and curbside voting, accept late ballots and conduct redistricting through unelected commissions.
The legislation would also mandate nationwide automatic voter registration and Election Day voter registration, undercutting measures to detect unlawful interference from non-citizens and other ineligible voters.
The coalition further argues HR 1 would frustrate the states’ ability to maintain accurate, up-to-date voter rolls, as well as place drastic limits on voter ID laws, which the attorneys general contend are used to some degree in 35 states and represent nothing more than a best practice for election administration.
The letter was addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
West Virginia joined the Indiana-led letter with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.