West Virginia Bill Prohibits Returning Candidate Filing Fees Under Any Circumstances

Original title: Providing that in no case shall a filing fee paid be returned to the candidate

Last action · February 5, 2026: To House JudiciarySponsors: Joe Funkhouser and 4 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

West Virginia House Bill 5226 establishes that candidate filing fees paid for primary elections can under no circumstances be refunded. The measure amends existing election statutes governing filing fee deposits and disposition.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Primary election candidates

Directly affected

County general funds

County funds continue to receive filing fees collected by clerks, sheriffs, and apportioned by the Secretary of State.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a candidate get their filing fee back if they withdraw from the race?

No. Under the proposed bill, in no case may a filing fee paid be returned to the candidate, even if they withdraw.

Where do candidate filing fees go currently?

Moneys received by clerks or sheriffs are credited to the , while fees received by the Secretary of State are deposited into a special fund and apportioned to the relevant counties based on population.

What else do you want to know?

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

4 actions

Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
To House Judiciary
Feb 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House
Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
To Judiciary
Feb 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
Filed for introduction

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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