WV-CAEF's Voter Registration Program
Citizen Action Education Fund (WVCAEF) is a statewide 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides original research and public education on progressive issues facing the people of Appalachia such as environmental & consumer protection, media access, public policy, government & corporate accountability, universal health care, and elimination of all forms of discrimination. More info here.
Blog Gary Zuckett April 25, 2018
New Election App Helps Voters Choose Candidates
On the first day of early voting, WV Citizen Action Education Fund (WV CAEF) is excited to announce a new resource for helping voters identify candidates and issues they support with a new, easy to use election app called BallotReady. BallotReady is a non-partisan civic engagement tool that enables users to find comprehensive ballot information for their own voting precinct. The tool displays candidate bios, stances, endorsements, and relevant news all in one place; and helps users to find their polling place, make a plan to vote, easily save, and be reminded of the information prior to and on Election Day. More
Issues: Civic Engagement, Elections, Voting
New Election App Helps Voters Choose Candidates
On the first day of early voting, WV Citizen Action Education Fund (WV CAEF) is excited to announce a new resource for helping voters identify candidates and issues they support with a new, easy to use election app called BallotReady. BallotReady is a non-partisan civic engagement tool that enables users to find comprehensive ballot information for their own voting precinct. The tool displays candidate bios, stances, endorsements, and relevant news all in one place; and helps users to find their polling place, make a plan to vote, easily save, and be reminded of the information prior to and on Election Day. More
Issues: Civic Engagement, Elections, Voting
Blog WVCAEF April 17, 2018
New Tax Law Benefits Health Care Industry, Endangers Vital Services
A new West Virginia report by Americans for Tax Fairness and Health Care for America Now detailing the affects of the new tax law on families in West Virginia and compares that with the tax benefits that health insurance companies and prescription drug manufacturers receive under the same law. Read the full report here. More
Issues: Healthcare, Taxes
New Tax Law Benefits Health Care Industry, Endangers Vital Services
A new West Virginia report by Americans for Tax Fairness and Health Care for America Now detailing the affects of the new tax law on families in West Virginia and compares that with the tax benefits that health insurance companies and prescription drug manufacturers receive under the same law. Read the full report here. More
Issues: Healthcare, Taxes
Blog Alexandra Gallo April 9, 2018
Power to the People: WV CAEF’s Awards Dinner & Fundraiser
On Friday, June 1, we are hosting our annual awards dinner and fundraiser at the Charleston Woman’s Club. We hope you can join us! In honor of Paul Nyden, long-time Charleston Gazette investigative reporter who passed away earlier this year, we are dedicating, the Paul Nyden and Don Marsh Public Service Award, which recognizes a lifetime commitment to truth, justice, and service in the public interest. Cathy Kunkel will be the first recipient of this newly dedicated award. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of our awardees, this is a great opportunity to lift up the great work we all have been doing over this past year -- oh, and have a little fun, too! More details here. More
Power to the People: WV CAEF’s Awards Dinner & Fundraiser
On Friday, June 1, we are hosting our annual awards dinner and fundraiser at the Charleston Woman’s Club. We hope you can join us! In honor of Paul Nyden, long-time Charleston Gazette investigative reporter who passed away earlier this year, we are dedicating, the Paul Nyden and Don Marsh Public Service Award, which recognizes a lifetime commitment to truth, justice, and service in the public interest. Cathy Kunkel will be the first recipient of this newly dedicated award. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of our awardees, this is a great opportunity to lift up the great work we all have been doing over this past year -- oh, and have a little fun, too! More details here. More
Blog Julie Archer March 16, 2018
Two Constitutional Amendments Headed for the Ballot in November
During the 2018 legislative session, legislators approved resolutions putting two proposed constitutional amendments on the November 6 general election ballot. The Judicial Budget Oversight Amendment would amend the state constitution to give the Legislature oversight of the judiciary’s budget. The No Constitutional Right to Abortion Amendment is being deceptively explained as an effort to take away Medicaid funding for abortion, but aims to take away reproductive rights for women more broadly. More
Issues: Elections, Fair Courts, Healthcare
Two Constitutional Amendments Headed for the Ballot in November
During the 2018 legislative session, legislators approved resolutions putting two proposed constitutional amendments on the November 6 general election ballot. The Judicial Budget Oversight Amendment would amend the state constitution to give the Legislature oversight of the judiciary’s budget. The No Constitutional Right to Abortion Amendment is being deceptively explained as an effort to take away Medicaid funding for abortion, but aims to take away reproductive rights for women more broadly. More
Issues: Elections, Fair Courts, Healthcare
Blog WVCAEF March 4, 2018
Campaign Contributions: You, Too, Can Follow the Money
In what is now likely a familiar story to most reading this, Lissa Lucas was escorted from the House chamber after being called out of order for reading a list of campaign contributions that each of the committee members had taken from interests that stood to benefit from the bill before the committee. Lucas is a candidate running for a House seat in this election, but you don't have to be running for office to get access to the information on campaign donors— you can do it too. Try out one of these easy tools and take a look at the wealth of information they have on your legislators’ campaign contributions. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Money In Politics, Voting
Campaign Contributions: You, Too, Can Follow the Money
In what is now likely a familiar story to most reading this, Lissa Lucas was escorted from the House chamber after being called out of order for reading a list of campaign contributions that each of the committee members had taken from interests that stood to benefit from the bill before the committee. Lucas is a candidate running for a House seat in this election, but you don't have to be running for office to get access to the information on campaign donors— you can do it too. Try out one of these easy tools and take a look at the wealth of information they have on your legislators’ campaign contributions. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Money In Politics, Voting
Blog WVCAEF February 13, 2018
FirstEnergy Ends Bid to Sell Pleasants Power Plant
In a notice filed Monday, Feb. 5, with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, FirstEnergy Corp. stated that it will stop fighting to transfer ownership of the Pleasants Power Plant to Monongahela Power and Potomac Edison, FirstEnergy’s West Virginia utilities. This is a major win for the 530,000 Mon Power and Potomac Edison consumers in West Virginia. This deal was bad from the beginning and the extensive evidence presented at the PSC proceeding made clear that the proposed transfer would benefit FirstEnergy and hurt West Virginians struggling to survive in today’s economy. More
Issues: Consumer Protection, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Utility Rates
FirstEnergy Ends Bid to Sell Pleasants Power Plant
In a notice filed Monday, Feb. 5, with the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, FirstEnergy Corp. stated that it will stop fighting to transfer ownership of the Pleasants Power Plant to Monongahela Power and Potomac Edison, FirstEnergy’s West Virginia utilities. This is a major win for the 530,000 Mon Power and Potomac Edison consumers in West Virginia. This deal was bad from the beginning and the extensive evidence presented at the PSC proceeding made clear that the proposed transfer would benefit FirstEnergy and hurt West Virginians struggling to survive in today’s economy. More
Issues: Consumer Protection, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Utility Rates
Blog Julie Archer January 2, 2018
Be Registered & Be Ready to Vote: WV Voter Id Law Now in Effect
West Virginia's voter ID law went into effect on January 1, 2018. With many important races on the ballot this year, it's important to make sure you're registered to vote and ready to vote. This means making sure you have your ID, informing yourself about the issues and candidates, and last but not least, getting yourself to the polls. Learn more about the new law, and the various forms of photo and non-photo ID that will be accepted at the polls. More
Issues: Elections, Voting
Be Registered & Be Ready to Vote: WV Voter Id Law Now in Effect
West Virginia's voter ID law went into effect on January 1, 2018. With many important races on the ballot this year, it's important to make sure you're registered to vote and ready to vote. This means making sure you have your ID, informing yourself about the issues and candidates, and last but not least, getting yourself to the polls. Learn more about the new law, and the various forms of photo and non-photo ID that will be accepted at the polls. More
Issues: Elections, Voting
Blog WVCAEF December 18, 2017
New Report Details Who Pays for Judicial Elections
A new report from the Brennan Center for Justice and the National Institute on Money in State Politics finds that judicial integrity is increasingly under threat. A torrent of special interest money, often from secretive sources, is flooding state judicial elections. and West Virginia is no exception. The report is the only comprehensive look at all state supreme court elections in the latest cycle, 2015-16. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Fair Courts, Money In Politics
New Report Details Who Pays for Judicial Elections
A new report from the Brennan Center for Justice and the National Institute on Money in State Politics finds that judicial integrity is increasingly under threat. A torrent of special interest money, often from secretive sources, is flooding state judicial elections. and West Virginia is no exception. The report is the only comprehensive look at all state supreme court elections in the latest cycle, 2015-16. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Fair Courts, Money In Politics
Blog Julie Archer October 11, 2017
Without Disclosure, We Don’t Know What Conflicts of Interest Our Judges Might Have
Without common-sense disclosure laws, anyone could end up across the courtroom from another other party who has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to a dark money group supporting the judge ruling on their case. And they wouldn't even have the information, to ask the judge to recuse himself or herself. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Fair Courts, Money In Politics
Without Disclosure, We Don’t Know What Conflicts of Interest Our Judges Might Have
Without common-sense disclosure laws, anyone could end up across the courtroom from another other party who has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to a dark money group supporting the judge ruling on their case. And they wouldn't even have the information, to ask the judge to recuse himself or herself. More
Issues: Disclosure, Elections, Fair Courts, Money In Politics
Blog WVCAEF August 30, 2017
Coalition Opposes FirstEnergy’s Bad Deal for West Virginia
WV CAEF’s Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV) project has helped launch a coalition called West Virginians For Energy Freedom (WV4EF) to oppose FirstEnergy’s plan to transfer the obsolete Pleasants Power Plant to Mon Power and Potomac Edison. West Virginians don’t want to bail out FirstEnergy Corp. and its shareholders, and we shouldn’t have to! More
Issues: Consumer Protection, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Utility Rates
Coalition Opposes FirstEnergy’s Bad Deal for West Virginia
WV CAEF’s Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV) project has helped launch a coalition called West Virginians For Energy Freedom (WV4EF) to oppose FirstEnergy’s plan to transfer the obsolete Pleasants Power Plant to Mon Power and Potomac Edison. West Virginians don’t want to bail out FirstEnergy Corp. and its shareholders, and we shouldn’t have to! More
Issues: Consumer Protection, Energy, Energy Efficiency, Utility Rates