Ballot issues can be confusing! Here’s what you need to know to vote in the city’s municipal election, underway now.

Early voting is underway in Morgantown’s 2025 municipal election. Alongside city council seats—refresh your memory about who is running here—are two ballot initiatives: one concerning residency requirements for the Morgantown city manager and one concerning the “camping ban.”
Ballot initiatives are written in legalistic language, and they can be long—the camping ban item is hundreds of words—so it’s hard to make a decision at the ballot box. We spell it out for you here so you’ll be prepared.
City Manager Residency Requirement
This ballot initiative would amend the city charter. Currently, the charter states that the city manager “must reside in the City while in office.” The amendment would change it to read that the city manager “may reside outside the City while in office only with the approval of Council.”
Vote NO to maintain the charter requirement that the city manager live within city limits.
Vote YES to say city council can allow the city manager to live outside city limits.
Camping on Public Property
This ballot initiative would retain Article 1157 in city code or repeal it. The Article states that it is illegal to camp or store personal property on public property without a permit. It establishes penalties for those who are offered alternate shelter and refuse it: for a first violation, a written warning; for a second violation, a fine of up to $200; and for a third violation, a fine of up to $500 and imprisonment for up to 30 days. And it allows violators to choose mental health or substance abuse treatment or case management, provided by a third party engaged by the city, over fine or imprisonment.
Vote NO to keep this article in city code.
Vote YES to remove this article from city code.
You can vote early at the Historic Train Depot at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park today through Thursday, 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.—city offices are closed on Fridays, and so are the polls. As of Tuesday morning, April 22, the beginning of the fifth day of early voting, about 270 people had voted so far. It literally takes five minutes—pollworkers are friendly, helpful, and ready to get you in and out fast.
If you miss early voting, you can vote on Election Day, Tuesday, April 29—find your polling location here.
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