Governor Born in West Virginia Amendment

This Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 19) proposes a constitutional amendment requiring that only individuals born in West Virginia may be elected governor. It would amend Article VII, Section 1 of the West Virginia Constitution to state: "No person may be elected as or serve as governor, unless that person was born in West Virginia." If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, this requirement would apply to all future gubernatorial candidates. The resolution is currently in committee review and has not yet become law.