Clarifying language you may see on your ballot

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Voting is for everyone but some of the language on the ballots isn’t something your average person understands. WTAP spoke to County Clerk Mark Rhodes so that you know what you’re looking at on the ballots come November’s election.

Bonds and levies are not interchangeable terms. Rhodes explained that bonds are for construction projects and levies fund expenses such as personnel, operating budgets, and additional materials.

A continuing levy is the same thing as a renewal levy. Rhodes explained that these levies are already in place so they don’t raise your taxes if passed.

Excess levies are what they sound like. Rhodes explained that state code restricts levies…and, if those restrictions make it so the levy doesn’t raise enough money, an excess levy can be made to make up for that.

Rhodes added that you shouldn’t expect to understand constitutional amendments proposed on the ballots without reading up on them beforehand.

“The ballot language for the amendments is not in great detail. And I will say that neither the clerk’s office nor poll workers can go into an explanation of those,” he said.

On election day, poll workers cannot answer questions about whether bonds and levies will increase your taxes, according to Rhodes.

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