West Virginia Constitution Article XIV. Amendments
Article XIV of the West Virginia Constitution deals with Amendments — the process by which the state constitution may be changed.
Here’s a summary of its main provisions:
West Virginia Constitution – Article XIV: Amendments
Section 1: Proposal of Amendments by Legislature
Amendments to the Constitution can be proposed in the Legislature.
A two-thirds majority of all members elected to each house is required to approve an amendment.
Once approved by the Legislature, the amendment must be submitted to the voters of the state for ratification at a general election.
The proposed amendment must be published at least three months before the election in newspapers in each county.
Section 2: Convention for Revising the Constitution
The Legislature may also propose that a constitutional convention be held to revise the entire Constitution.
This proposal must also be approved by a majority of voters at an election.
If approved, delegates are elected to the convention, and any proposed revisions must then be submitted to the voters.
Section 3: Ratification
An amendment or revision is only adopted if it receives a majority vote of the people during the election.
Key Features:
Strong emphasis on popular approval — no constitutional change without the vote of the people.
Requires broad legislative support to even propose a change.
Allows both individual amendments and full constitutional revisions via a convention.
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