1871 West Virginia Constitutional amendment referendum

West Virginia ballot measure March 2026 March 2026 1871 West Virginia Constitutional amendment referendum That the male citizens of the State shall be entitled to vote at all elections held within the election districts in which they respectively reside; but no person who is a minor, or unsound of mind, or pauper, or who is under the conviction of treason, felony, or bribery in an election, or who has not been a resident of the State for one year and of the county in which he offers to vote for thirty days next preceding such offer, shall be permitted to vote, while such disability continues. April 17, 1871 1866 1871 West Virginia Constitutional amendment referendum Ratification Rejection 23,546 6,323 29,869 250px County results Ratification #2B2457 90–100% 1px #AAAAAA solid #28497C 80–90% 1px #AAAAAA solid #47729E 70–80% 1px #AAAAAA solid #7D9CBB 60–70% 1px #AAAAAA solid #B6C8D9 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid Rejection #32320C 90–100% 1px #AAAAAA solid #5D5D2D 80–90% 1px #AAAAAA solid #8B8B54 70–80% 1px #AAAAAA solid #BCBC83 60–70% 1px #AAAAAA solid #DEDEBD 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid No Data/Vote #808080 A referendum was held in West Virginia on April 17, 1871, to add an amendment to the Constitution of West Virginia. Voters were asked whether all adult male citizens of West Virginia should be allowed to vote, though excluding disqualified individuals. Background After the Civil War, former Confederates were barred from voting in West Virginia. The voting rights of African Americans were not ensured either. The two divergent issues were brought together in the Flick Amendment, drafted by William H.H. Flick.Council West Virginia Humanities William H. H. Flick https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2243 2026-03-29 www.wvencyclopedia.org Several Liberal Republicans, hoping to offset the growth of the Democratic Party, offered the Flick Amendment to voters. The amendment would ensure the voting rights of African Americans and enfranchise former Confederates.Council West Virginia Humanities Flick Amendment https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2130 2026-03-30 www.wvencyclopedia.org Although the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which granted African Americans the right to vote, was ratified in 1870, former Confederates still could not vote.2025-11-18 The West Virginia Constitution: Mountaineers Are Always Free State Court Report https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/west-virginia-constitution-mountaineers-are-always-free 2026-03-30 statecourtreport.org en Results Source:Jun 10, 1871, page 2 - The Wheeling Daily Register at Newspapers.com™ https://www.newspapers.com/image/848823001/?match=1&terms= 2026-03-29 Newspapers.com en-US The amendment was ratified with an overwhelming majority of 78.8%. Following the ratification, former Confederates could vote, leading to a Democratic takeover of West Virginia's politics. Democrats elected the next five governors and controlled the state legislature between 1872 and 1896.Council West Virginia Humanities Politics https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/1839 2026-03-30 www.wvencyclopedia.org McDowell and Logan counties did not record any votes. CountyForAgainstBallots cast#%#%Barbour48368.7%22031.2%703Berkeley97597.2%282.7%1,003Boone20992.5%177.5%226Braxton52499.4%30.5%527Brooke32089.3%3810.6%358Cabell43197.9%92%440Calhoun26696.3%103.6%276Clay12797.6%32.3%130Doddridge21848.5%23151.4%449Fayette31694.6%185.3%324Gilmer30399.3%20.7%305Grant30448.0%32952.0%633Greenbrier1,04490.6%1089.4%1,152Hampshire52189.5%6110.5%582Hancock18170.2%7729.8%258Hardy5814.7%33685.3%394Harrison48538.0%79062.0%1,275Jackson57079.8%14420.2%714Jefferson43867.1%21532.9%653Kanawha1,16498.0%242.0%1,188Lewis91392.0%798.0%992Lincoln55997.4%152.6%574Logan00%00%0Marion1,11486.3%17713.7%1,291Marshall38539.6%58760.4%972Mason70271.4%28128.6%983McDowell00%00%0Mercer31399.1%30.9%316Mineral24887.6%3512.4%283Monongalia75680.3%18619.7%942Monroe61899.8%10.2%619Morgan18971.3%7628.7%265Nicholas36293.3%266.7%388Ohio43454.1%36845.9%802Pendleton32466.8%16133.2%485Pleasants21174.3%7325.7%284Pocahontas34986.0%5714.0%406Preston86386.2%13813.8%1,001Putnam38088.8%4811.2%428Raleigh16673.8%5926.2%225Randolph38092.7%307.3%410Ritchie62686.5%9813.5%724Roane50593.9%336.1%538Summers25596.2%103.8%265Taylor36451.1%34948.9%713Tucker13393.7%96.3%142Tyler33067.3%16032.7%490Upshur32750.7%31849.3%645Wayne60899.8%10.2%609Webster124100.0%00.0%124Wetzel38680.4%9419.6%480Wirt38196.7%133.3%394Wood1,49489.9%16710.1%1,661Wyoming11093.2%86.8%118Totals23,54678.8%6,32321.1%29,869 References Category:1871 West Virginia elections Category:U.S. state constitutional amendments Category:History of voting rights in the United States