CHESTER — With recent changes to the city’s primary election defaulting to Hancock County oversight, Chester officials have to alter its ward boundaries.

During Monday’s meeting, members approved the measures that would realign them to voting precincts.

Late last month, Hancock County commissioners agreed to line up the city’s municipal election with the county’s.

The joint election is set for May.

Chester clerk Tara Ayers explained that in the realignment moved some households of Ward 4 –which was a little bloated –to Ward 2.

In West Virginia, precincts originally were divided by populations; however, as a charter city, Chester had redefined its voting precincts, as it had been allowed to do so.

The West Virginia legislature had passed Senate Bill 50 in April, which requires charter municipalities like Chester to adjust their election schedules to fall in line with elections already conducted by their county before July 2032.

The municipality would share the cost in holding the election.

Chester officials are up for election this year, so they had to expedite the process

In other action, council members accepted $409,745.22 in receipts to the general fund, paying $107,243.67 worth of bills, as well as $4130 in receipts for the building funding, spending $2441.29 worth of bills.

The next meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2 in council chambers at the municipal building.