"Early voting" has been a boon for many West Virginians. We see no reason why it should not be made more convenient for voters who do not live near county seats.
Last fall, more than one-fifth of the votes cast in the November general election came during the early voting period for a few weeks before Nov. 4. A total of 173,463 people made use of the process - and we have heard of very few complaints about it. It was handled efficiently by election officials at both the county and state levels.
State officials who agreed to try early voting were right to set limits on it. One important restriction is that early voting is offered at just one site in each county - the courthouse. That has made converting to the new system easier on election workers. It also has offered a measure of security that might have been missing had multiple early voting stations been set up in each county.
But the trial period is over. It has been a virtually unqualified success. It is time to move on.
Bills in both the state Senate and the House of Delegates would allow a limited expansion of early voting. They would permit county commissions to establish sites for it outside of county seats.
That is an excellent idea - providing that not one iota of protection against vote fraud is eliminated by the expansion. We encourage legislators to examine the bills carefully, in consultation with Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and county-level election officials. If they need to be amended to provide adequate election security, changes should be made.
It ought to be obvious that many voters would benefit from allowing more than one early voting station in each county. Anyone who ever has driven to the Wetzel County courthouse in New Martinsville from Hundred, or to the Marshall County courthouse in Moundsville from Cameron, should be able to understand that.
A limited number of new early voting locations in some counties would be beneficial - again, as long as security safeguards are adequate. Lawmakers should approve the expansion on that basis.