CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Now that the Legislature has passed a law allowing counties to set up satellite voting stations for early voters during elections, Kanawha County officials have to decide if they want to take advantage of the opportunity.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant told members of the Kanawha County Commission at a regular meeting Thursday that new rules are being drawn up to allow satellite voting. Satellite voting stations can only be set up if the county clerk, county commission and executives for both the Democratic and Republican parties agree to the locations.

County commissioners Kent Carper, Dave Hardy and Hoppy Shores have been pushing for satellite voting stations, which they believe will make it easier for people who live in outlying areas of the county to cast their ballots. Currently, voters who want to vote early have to come to the Voters Registration office in Charleston.

Now that satellite early voting is allowed under state law, county officials have to decide whether they want to set up the stations, and when. Carper said setting up satellite voting stations for the upcoming 2010 off-year election could cost the county $300,000.

County officials are also running out of time to make a decision. Tennant said approval for satellite voting stations has to come 120 days before the election.

That gives the county commission and County Clerk Vera McCormick until September to make up their minds about early voting satellites.

Also Thursday, the commission heard a pitch from Kanawha County Library Board President Mike Albert for a new branch library building in Marmet. Library officials have planned a facility to replace the existing 400 square-foot branch with a larger library, but county officials had not heard what the price tag was.

Albert told Carper and Hardy the estimated cost of the 5,600-square-foot library is just shy of $2 million. Shores was not at Thursday's meeting.

Albert wants the county to put up about $500,000 toward the building.

Carper promised to look at the county budget to see if there was a way to help pay for the library. "We just need to decide if that's something we want to do or not," he said.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Now that the Legislature has passed a law allowing counties to set up satellite voting stations for early voters during elections, Kanawha County officials have to decide if they want to take advantage of the opportunity.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant told members of the Kanawha County Commission at a regular meeting Thursday that new rules are being drawn up to allow satellite voting. Satellite voting stations can only be set up if the county clerk, county commission and executives for both the Democratic and Republican parties agree to the locations.

County commissioners Kent Carper, Dave Hardy and Hoppy Shores have been pushing for satellite voting stations, which they believe will make it easier for people who live in outlying areas of the county to cast their ballots. Currently, voters who want to vote early have to come to the Voters Registration office in Charleston.

Now that satellite early voting is allowed under state law, county officials have to decide whether they want to set up the stations, and when. Carper said setting up satellite voting stations for the upcoming 2010 off-year election could cost the county $300,000.

County officials are also running out of time to make a decision. Tennant said approval for satellite voting stations has to come 120 days before the election.

That gives the county commission and County Clerk Vera McCormick until September to make up their minds about early voting satellites.

Also Thursday, the commission heard a pitch from Kanawha County Library Board President Mike Albert for a new branch library building in Marmet. Library officials have planned a facility to replace the existing 400 square-foot branch with a larger library, but county officials had not heard what the price tag was.

Albert told Carper and Hardy the estimated cost of the 5,600-square-foot library is just shy of $2 million. Shores was not at Thursday's meeting.

Albert wants the county to put up about $500,000 toward the building.

Carper promised to look at the county budget to see if there was a way to help pay for the library. "We just need to decide if that's something we want to do or not," he said.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.