Voting rights; require certain offenders to take voter education course and automatically restore voting right upon release from MDOC.

H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 1 (RKM\KW)

To: Apportionment and
Elections; Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Karriem

HOUSE BILL NO. 1424

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO DEVELOP A 1
VOTER EDUCATION COURSE FOR OFFENDERS; TO REQUIRE OFFENDERS WHO 2
HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF VOTE FRAUD OR A DISENFRANCHING CRIME TO 3
SATISFACTORILY COMPLETE THE COURSE AS A CONDITION OF RELEASE; TO 4
AMEND SECTION 23-15-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT 5
A PERSON WHO IS OTHERWISE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR AND HAS BEEN 6
CONVICTED OF VOTE FRAUD, OF ANY CRIME LISTED IN SECTION 241, 7
MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, OR OF ANY CRIME INTERPRETED AS 8
DISENFRANCHISING IN LATER ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS, SHALL HAVE 9
HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE AUTOMATICALLY RESTORED ONCE HE OR SHE HAS 10
SATISFIED ALL OF THE SENTENCING REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONVICTION AND 11
BEEN RELEASED FROM THE CUSTODY OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF 12
CORRECTIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-19, 23-15-125, 23-15-151, 13
23-15-153 AND 23-15-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO 14
THE PRECEDING SECTION; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 97-39-3 AND 15
99-19-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE 16
AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. (1) The Department of Corrections shall develop 19
a voter education course designed to empower offenders with 20
practical skills for exercising their right to vote and improved 21
decision-making skills. The course must include instruction on: 22
(a) Voter registration, including when and how to 23
register to vote, completing forms and re-registration 24
requirements; 25
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 2 (RKM\KW)

(b) Voting basics, including general voting 26
requirements and qualifications for electors; 27
(c) Ballot procedures, including how to complete a 28
ballot and the importance of valid votes; 29
(d) Civic duty, including the significance of voting 30
and promoting responsibility in a democracy; and 31
(e) Any other matters that aids offenders in knowing 32
their rights and responsibilities. 33
(2) The voter education course developed under this section 34
must be neutral and nonpartisan. 35
(3) An offender who has been convicted of vote fraud, of any 36
crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or 37
of any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney 38
General opinions is required to satisfactorily complete the voter 39
education course as a condition of the offender's release from the 40
custody of the Department of Corrections. Other offenders are 41
encouraged to participate in the voter education course; however, 42
the course may not be required as a condition of the release of 43
those offenders. 44
(4) Subject to the availability of funding, the department 45
may elect to contract with a provider to develop and make the 46
voter education course available to offenders. Any course 47
developed by an outside provider must meet the requirements of 48
subsection (1) of this section. 49
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 3 (RKM\KW)

SECTION 2. Section 23-15-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 50
amended as follows: 51
23-15-11. (1) Every inhabitant of this state, except 52
persons adjudicated to be non compos mentis, shall be a qualified 53
elector in and for the county, municipality and voting precinct of 54
his or her residence and shall be entitled to vote at any election 55
upon compliance with Section 23-15-563, if he or she: 56
(a) * * * Is a citizen of the United States of 57
America * * *; 58
(b) Is eighteen (18) years old and upwards * * *; 59
(c) * * * Has resided in this state for thirty (30) 60
days and for thirty (30) days in the county in which he or she 61
seeks to vote, and for thirty (30) days in the incorporated 62
municipality in which he or she seeks to vote * * *; 63
(d) * * * Has been duly registered as an elector under 64
Section 23-15-33; and 65
(e) * * * Has never been convicted of vote fraud or of 66
any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 67
1890 * * *. 68
If the thirtieth day to register before an election falls on 69
a Sunday or legal holiday, the registration applications submitted 70
on the business day immediately following the Sunday or legal 71
holiday shall be accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections 72
Management System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in 73
the next election. 74
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 4 (RKM\KW)

(2) A person who is otherwise a qualified elector under the 75
provisions of subsection (1) who has been convicted of vote fraud, 76
of any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 77
1890, or of any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later 78
Attorney General opinions, shall have his or her right to vote 79
automatically restored once he or she has satisfied all of the 80
sentencing requirements of the conviction and been released from 81
the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. 82
(3) Any person who will be eighteen (18) years of age or 83
older on or before the date of the general election and who is 84
duly registered to vote not less than thirty (30) days before the 85
primary election associated with the general election, may vote in 86
the primary election even though the person has not reached his or 87
her eighteenth birthday at the time that the person seeks to vote 88
at the primary election. 89
(4) No others than those specified in this section shall be 90
entitled, or shall be allowed, to vote at any election. 91
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 92
amended as follows: 93
23-15-19. Any person who has been convicted of vote fraud, 94
or any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 95
1890, or of any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later 96
Attorney General opinions, such crimes defined as 97
"disenfranchising," shall * * * have his or her right to vote 98
automatically restored once he or she has satisfied all of the 99
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 5 (RKM\KW)

sentencing requirements of the conviction and been released from 100
the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. 101
Whenever any person shall be convicted in the circuit court of his 102
or her county of a disenfranchising crime, the county registrar 103
shall thereupon remove his or her name from the Statewide 104
Elections Management System * * * until he or she has satisfied 105
all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction and been 106
released from the custody of the Mississippi Department of 107
Corrections. Whenever any person shall be convicted of a 108
disenfranchising crime in any other court of any county, the 109
presiding judge of the court shall, on demand, certify the fact in 110
writing to the registrar of the county in which the voter resides, 111
who shall * * * remove the name of the person from the Statewide 112
Elections Management System and retain the certificate as a record 113
of his or her office until he or she has satisfied all of the 114
sentencing requirements of the conviction and been released from 115
the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. 116
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-125, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 117
amended as follows: 118
23-15-125. The pollbook of each voting precinct shall 119
designate the voting precinct for which it is to be used, and 120
shall be ruled in appropriate columns, with printed or written 121
headings, as follows: date of registration; voter registration 122
number; name of electors; date of birth; and a number of blank 123
columns for the dates of elections. All qualified applicants who 124
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 6 (RKM\KW)

register with the registrar shall be entered in the Statewide 125
Elections Management System. Only the names of those qualified 126
applicants who register within thirty (30) days before an election 127
shall appear on the pollbooks of the election; however, if the 128
thirtieth day to register before an election falls on a Sunday or 129
legal holiday, the registration applications submitted on the 130
business day immediately following the legal holiday shall be 131
accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System 132
for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next election. 133
When county election commissioners determine that any elector is 134
disqualified from voting, by reason of death, conviction of a 135
disenfranchising crime, removal from the jurisdiction, failure to 136
comply with the provisions of Section 23-15-152, or other legal 137
cause, that fact shall be noted in the Statewide Elections 138
Management System and the voter's name shall be purged from the 139
Statewide Elections Management System, the state's voter roll and 140
the county's pollbooks. Nothing in this section shall preclude 141
the use of electronic pollbooks. A person who is otherwise a 142
qualified elector under the provisions of Section 23-15-11 who has 143
been convicted of vote fraud, of any crime listed in Section 241, 144
Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or of any crime interpreted as 145
disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions, shall have 146
his or her right to vote automatically restored once he or she has 147
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction and 148
been released from the custody of the Mississippi Department of 149
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 7 (RKM\KW)

Corrections. Once the person has satisfied all of the sentencing 150
requirements and been released, the voter's name shall be 151
automatically restored into the Statewide Elections Management 152
System, the state's voter roll and the county's pollbooks. 153
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 154
amended as follows: 155
23-15-151. The circuit clerk of each county is authorized 156
and directed to prepare and keep in his or her office a full and 157
complete list, in alphabetical order, of persons convicted of 158
voter fraud * * *, of any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi 159
Constitution of 1890 or of any crime interpreted as 160
disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions. A certified 161
copy of any enrollment by one clerk to another will be sufficient 162
authority for the enrollment of the name, or names, in another 163
county. A list of persons convicted of voter fraud, any crime 164
listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or any 165
crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 166
opinions, shall also be entered into the Statewide Elections 167
Management System on a quarterly basis. * * * A person who is 168
otherwise a qualified elector under the provisions of Section 169
23-15-11 who has been convicted of vote fraud, of any crime listed 170
in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or of any crime 171
interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 172
opinions, shall have his or her right to vote automatically 173
restored once he or she has satisfied all of the sentencing 174
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 8 (RKM\KW)

requirements of the conviction and been released from the custody 175
of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Once the person has 176
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements and been released, 177
the voter's name shall be automatically restored into the 178
Statewide Elections Management System, the state's voter roll and 179
the county's pollbooks. 180
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-153, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 181
amended as follows: 182
23-15-153. (1) At least during the following times, the 183
election commissioners shall meet at the office of the registrar 184
or the office of the election commissioners to carefully revise 185
the county voter roll as electronically maintained by the 186
Statewide Elections Management System and remove from the roll the 187
names of all voters who have requested to be purged from the voter 188
roll, died, received an adjudication of non compos mentis, been 189
convicted of a disenfranchising crime and had his or her right to 190
vote suspended, failed to comply with the provisions of Section 191
23-15-152, or otherwise become disqualified as electors for any 192
cause, and shall register the names of all persons who have duly 193
applied to be registered but have been illegally denied 194
registration: 195
(a) On the Tuesday after the second Monday in January 196
1987 and every following year; 197
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 9 (RKM\KW)

(b) On the first Tuesday in the month immediately 198
preceding the first primary election for members of Congress in 199
the years when members of Congress are elected; 200
(c) On the first Monday in the month immediately 201
preceding the first primary election for state, state district 202
legislative, county and county district offices in the years in 203
which those offices are elected; and 204
(d) On the second Monday of September preceding the 205
general election or regular special election day in years in which 206
a general election is not conducted. 207
Except for the names of those voters who are duly qualified 208
to vote in the election, no name shall be permitted to remain in 209
the Statewide Elections Management System; however, no name shall 210
be purged from the Statewide Elections Management System based on 211
a change in the residence of an elector except in accordance with 212
procedures provided for by the National Voter Registration Act of 213
1993 and as provided in Section 23-15-152. Except as otherwise 214
provided by Section 23-15-573, no person shall vote at any 215
election whose name is not in the county voter roll electronically 216
maintained by the Statewide Elections Management System. 217
(2) Except as provided in this section, and subject to the 218
following annual limitations, the election commissioners shall be 219
entitled to receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten 220
Dollars ($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for 221
every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 222
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 10 (RKM\KW)

over two (2) or more days actually employed in the performance of 223
their duties in the conduct of an election or actually employed in 224
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 225
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 226
by the Statewide Elections Management System as required in 227
subsection (1) of this section: 228
(a) In counties having less than fifteen thousand 229
(15,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 230
census, not more than fifty (50) days per year, with no more than 231
fifteen (15) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 232
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 233
(b) In counties having fifteen thousand (15,000) 234
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 235
less than thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the 236
latest federal decennial census, not more than seventy-five (75) 237
days per year, with no more than twenty-five (25) additional days 238
allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (1) 239
occurring in any calendar year; 240
(c) In counties having thirty thousand (30,000) 241
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 242
less than seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the 243
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred (100) 244
days per year, with no more than thirty-five (35) additional days 245
allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 246
occurring in any calendar year; 247
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 11 (RKM\KW)

(d) In counties having seventy thousand (70,000) 248
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 249
less than ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the 250
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred 251
twenty-five (125) days per year, with no more than forty-five (45) 252
additional days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess 253
of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 254
(e) In counties having ninety thousand (90,000) 255
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 256
less than one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents 257
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 258
one hundred fifty (150) days per year, with no more than 259
fifty-five (55) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 260
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 261
(f) In counties having one hundred seventy thousand 262
(170,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 263
census but less than two hundred thousand (200,000) residents 264
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 265
one hundred seventy-five (175) days per year, with no more than 266
sixty-five (65) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 267
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 268
(g) In counties having two hundred thousand (200,000) 269
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 270
less than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents 271
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 272
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 12 (RKM\KW)

one hundred ninety (190) days per year, with no more than 273
seventy-five (75) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 274
election in excess of one (l) occurring in any calendar year; 275
(h) In counties having two hundred twenty-five thousand 276
(225,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 277
census but less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) 278
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 279
more than two hundred fifteen (215) days per year, with no more 280
than eighty-five (85) additional days allowed for the conduct of 281
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 282
(i) In counties having two hundred fifty thousand 283
(250,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 284
census but less than two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) 285
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 286
more than two hundred thirty (230) days per year, with no more 287
than ninety-five (95) additional days allowed for the conduct of 288
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 289
(j) In counties having two hundred seventy-five 290
thousand (275,000) residents according to the latest federal 291
decennial census or more, not more than two hundred forty (240) 292
days per year, with no more than one hundred five (105) additional 293
days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 294
occurring in any calendar year. 295
(3) In addition to the number of days authorized in 296
subsection (2) of this section, the board of supervisors of a 297
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 13 (RKM\KW)

county may authorize, in its discretion, the election 298
commissioners to receive a per diem in the amount provided for in 299
subsection (2) of this section, to be paid from the county general 300
fund, for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 301
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 302
performance of their duties in the conduct of an election or 303
actually employed in the performance of their duties for the 304
necessary time spent in the revision of the county voter roll as 305
electronically maintained by the Statewide Elections Management 306
System as required in subsection (1) of this section, not to 307
exceed five (5) days. 308
(4) (a) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 309
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars 310
($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed 311
ten (10) days for every day or period of no less than five (5) 312
hours accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in 313
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 314
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 315
by the Statewide Elections Management System before any special 316
election. For purposes of this paragraph, the regular special 317
election day shall not be considered a special election. The 318
annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of this section 319
shall not apply to this paragraph. 320
(b) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 321
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Sixty-five Dollars 322
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 14 (RKM\KW)

($165.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for the 323
performance of their duties on the day of any primary, runoff, 324
general or special election; however, the board of supervisors 325
may, in its discretion, pay the election commissioners an 326
additional amount not to exceed Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) per 327
election. The annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of 328
this section shall apply to this paragraph. 329
(5) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 330
a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars ($110.00), to 331
be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed fourteen (14) 332
days for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 333
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 334
performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in the 335
revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained by 336
the Statewide Elections Management System and in the conduct of a 337
runoff election following either a general or special election. 338
(6) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 339
only one (1) per diem payment for those days when the election 340
commissioners discharge more than one (1) duty or responsibility 341
on the same day. 342
(7) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 343
a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars ($110.00), to 344
be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed five (5) days 345
for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 346
over two (2) or more days for those days when the election 347
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 15 (RKM\KW)

commissioners shall be required to conduct an audit of an election 348
as provided in Section 23-15-615. 349
(8) In preparation for a municipal primary, runoff, general 350
or special election, the county registrar shall generate and 351
distribute the master voter roll and pollbooks from the Statewide 352
Elections Management System for the municipality located within 353
the county. The municipality shall pay the county registrar for 354
the actual cost of preparing and printing the municipal master 355
voter roll pollbooks. A municipality may secure "read only" 356
access to the Statewide Elections Management System and print its 357
own pollbooks using this information. 358
(9) County election commissioners who perform the duties of 359
an executive committee with regard to the conduct of a primary 360
election under a written agreement authorized by law to be entered 361
into with an executive committee shall receive per diem as 362
provided for in subsection (2) of this section. The days that 363
county election commissioners are employed in the conduct of a 364
primary election shall be treated the same as days county election 365
commissioners are employed in the conduct of other elections. 366
(10) In addition to any per diem authorized by this section, 367
any election commissioner shall be entitled to the mileage 368
reimbursement rate allowable to federal employees for the use of a 369
privately owned vehicle while on official travel on election day. 370
(11) Every election commissioner shall sign personally a 371
certification setting forth the number of hours actually worked in 372
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 16 (RKM\KW)

the performance of the commissioner's official duties and for 373
which the commissioner seeks compensation. The certification must 374
be on a form as prescribed in this subsection. The commissioner's 375
signature is, as a matter of law, made under the commissioner's 376
oath of office and under penalties of perjury. 377
The certification form shall be as follows: 378
COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER 379
PER DIEM CLAIM FORM 380
NAME: ____________________________ COUNTY: _______________ 381
ADDRESS: _________________________ DISTRICT: _____________ 382
CITY: ______________ ZIP: ________ 383
PURPOSE APPLICABLE ACTUAL PER DIEM 384
DATE BEGINNING ENDING OF MS CODE HOURS DAYS 385
WORKED TIME TIME WORK SECTION WORKED EARNED 386
________________________________________________________________ 387
________________________________________________________________ 388
________________________________________________________________ 389
TOTAL NUMBER OF PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 390
EXCLUDING ELECTION DAYS ________ 391
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $110.00 392
TOTAL NUMBER PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 393
FOR ELECTION DAYS ________ 394
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $165.00 395
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECTION DAY 396
DISCRETIONARY ADDITION(S) 397
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 17 (RKM\KW)

TO PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $35.00 398
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PER DIEM CLAIMED $_______ 399
I understand that I am signing this document under my oath as 400
an election commissioner and under penalties of perjury. 401
I understand that I am requesting payment from taxpayer funds 402
and that I have an obligation to be specific and truthful as to 403
the amount of hours worked and the compensation I am requesting. 404
Signed this the _____ day of ______________, ____. 405
________________________ 406
Commissioner's Signature 407
When properly completed and signed, the certification must be 408
filed with the clerk of the county board of supervisors before any 409
payment may be made. The certification will be a public record 410
available for inspection and reproduction immediately upon the 411
oral or written request of any person. 412
Any person may contest the accuracy of the certification in 413
any respect by notifying the chair of the commission, any member 414
of the board of supervisors or the clerk of the board of 415
supervisors of the contest at any time before or after payment is 416
made. If the contest is made before payment is made, no payment 417
shall be made as to the contested certificate until the contest is 418
finally disposed of. The person filing the contest shall be 419
entitled to a full hearing, and the clerk of the board of 420
supervisors shall issue subpoenas upon request of the contestor 421
compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of documents 422
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 18 (RKM\KW)

and things. The contestor shall have the right to appeal de novo 423
to the circuit court of the involved county, which appeal must be 424
perfected within thirty (30) days from a final decision of the 425
commission, the clerk of the board of supervisors or the board of 426
supervisors, as the case may be. 427
Any contestor who successfully contests any certification 428
will be awarded all expenses incident to his or her contest, 429
together with reasonable attorney's fees, which will be awarded 430
upon petition to the chancery court of the involved county upon 431
final disposition of the contest before the election commission, 432
board of supervisors, clerk of the board of supervisors, or, in 433
case of an appeal, final disposition by the court. The 434
commissioner against whom the contest is decided shall be liable 435
for the payment of the expenses and attorney's fees, and the 436
county shall be jointly and severally liable for same. 437
(12) Any election commissioner who has not received a 438
certificate issued by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 439
23-15-211 indicating that the election commissioner has received 440
the required elections seminar instruction and that the election 441
commissioner is fully qualified to conduct an election, shall not 442
receive any compensation authorized by this section or Section 443
23-15-239. 444
SECTION 7. Section 23-15-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 445
amended as follows: 446
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 19 (RKM\KW)

23-15-165. (1) The Office of the Secretary of State, in 447
cooperation with the county registrars and election commissioners, 448
shall procure, implement and maintain an electronic information 449
processing system and programs capable of maintaining a 450
centralized database of all registered voters in the state. The 451
system shall encompass software and hardware, at both the state 452
and county level, software development training, conversion and 453
support and maintenance for the system. The Secretary of State 454
shall equip the Statewide Elections Management System with 455
appropriate security measures to protect private information of 456
the registered voter and the integrity of Mississippi elections. 457
This system shall be known as the "Statewide Elections Management 458
System" and shall constitute the official record of registered 459
voters in every county of the state. 460
(2) The Office of the Secretary of State shall develop and 461
implement the Statewide Elections Management System so that the 462
registrar and election commissioners of each county shall: 463
(a) Verify that an applicant that is registering to 464
vote in that county is not registered to vote in another county; 465
(b) Be notified automatically that a registered voter 466
in its county has registered to vote in another county; 467
(c) Receive regular reports of death, changes of 468
address and convictions for disenfranchising crimes, which cause a 469
voter to have his or her right to vote suspended, that apply to 470
voters registered in the county; 471
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 20 (RKM\KW)

(d) Receive regular reports of voters who have 472
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of his or her 473
conviction and been released from the custody of the Mississippi 474
Department of Corrections and automatically restore the voter's 475
name into the Statewide Elections Management System, the state's 476
voter roll and the county's pollbooks; 477
( * * *e) Retain all present functionality related to, 478
but not limited to, the use of voter roll data and to implement 479
such other functionality as the law requires to enhance the 480
maintenance of accurate county voter records and related jury 481
selection and redistricting programs; and 482
( * * *f) When evidence exists that a registered voter 483
may not be a citizen of the United States as provided in Section 484
23-15-15, send notification to the registrar of the location where 485
the person is registered to vote. 486
(3) As a part of the procurement and implementation of the 487
system, the Office of the Secretary of State shall, with the 488
assistance of the advisory committee, procure services necessary 489
to convert current voter registration records in the counties into 490
a standard, industry accepted file format that can be used on the 491
Statewide Elections Management System. Thereafter, all official 492
voter information shall be maintained on the Statewide Elections 493
Management System. The standard industry accepted format of data 494
was reviewed and approved by a majority of the advisory committee 495
created in subsection (5) of this section after consultation with 496
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 21 (RKM\KW)

the Circuit Clerks Association and the format may not be changed 497
without consulting the Circuit Clerks Association. 498
(4) The Secretary of State may, with the assistance of the 499
advisory committee, adopt rules and regulations necessary to 500
administer the Statewide Elections Management System. The rules 501
and regulations shall at least: 502
(a) Provide for the establishment and maintenance of a 503
centralized database for all voter registration information in the 504
state; 505
(b) Provide procedures for integrating data into the 506
centralized database; 507
(c) Provide security to ensure that only the registrar, 508
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 509
may require, can add information to, delete information from and 510
modify information in the system; 511
(d) Provide the registrar or his or her designee or 512
other appropriate official, as the law may require, access to the 513
system at all times, including the ability to download copies of 514
the industry standard file, for all purposes related to their 515
official duties, including, but not limited to, exclusive access 516
for the purpose of printing all local pollbooks; 517
(e) Provide security and protection of all information 518
in the system and monitor the system to ensure that unauthorized 519
access is not allowed; 520
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 22 (RKM\KW)

(f) Provide a procedure that will allow the registrar, 521
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 522
may require, to identify the precinct to which a voter should be 523
assigned; and 524
(g) Provide a procedure for phasing in or converting 525
existing manual and computerized voter registration systems in 526
counties to the Statewide Elections Management System. 527
(5) The Secretary of State established an advisory committee 528
to assist in developing system specifications, procurement, 529
implementation and maintenance of the Statewide Elections 530
Management System. The committee included two (2) representatives 531
from the Circuit Clerks Association, appointed by the association; 532
two (2) representatives from the Election Commissioners 533
Association of Mississippi, appointed by the association; one (1) 534
member of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, or its 535
staff, appointed by the association; the Director of the Stennis 536
Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, or his or 537
her designee; the Executive Director of the Department of 538
Information Technology Services, or his or her designee; two (2) 539
persons knowledgeable about elections and information technology 540
appointed by the Secretary of State; and the Secretary of State, 541
who shall serve as the chair of the advisory committee. 542
(6) (a) Social security numbers, telephone numbers, email 543
addresses, and date of birth and age information in statewide, 544
district, county and municipal voter registration files shall be 545
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 23 (RKM\KW)

exempt from and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, 546
copying or reproduction under the Mississippi Public Records Act 547
of 1983. 548
(b) Copies of statewide, district, county or municipal 549
voter registration files, excluding social security numbers, 550
telephone numbers, email addresses, and date of birth and age 551
information, shall be provided to any person in accordance with 552
the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 at a cost not to exceed 553
the actual cost of production. 554
SECTION 8. Section 97-39-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 555
brought forward as follows: 556
97-39-3. If any person shall fight a duel, or give or accept 557
a challenge to fight a duel, or knowingly carry or deliver such 558
challenge or the acceptance thereof, or be second to either party 559
to any duel, whether such act be done in the state or out of it, 560
or who shall go out of the state to fight a duel, or to assist in 561
the same as second, or to send, accept, or carry a challenge, 562
shall be disqualified from holding any office, be disenfranchised, 563
and incapable of holding or being elected to any post of honor, 564
profit or emolument, civil or military, under the constitution and 565
laws of this state; and the appointment of any such person to 566
office, as also all votes given to any such person, are illegal, 567
and none of the votes given to such person for any office shall be 568
taken or counted. 569
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 24 (RKM\KW)

SECTION 9. Section 99-19-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 570
brought forward as follows: 571
99-19-37. (1) Any person who has lost the right of suffrage 572
by reason of conviction of crime and has not been pardoned 573
therefrom, who thereafter served honorably in any branch of the 574
Armed Forces of the United States during the periods of World War 575
I or World War II as hereinafter defined and shall have received 576
an honorable discharge, or release therefrom, shall by reason of 577
such honorable service, have the full right of suffrage restored, 578
provided, however, this does not apply to any one having an 579
unfinished or suspended sentence. 580
(2) For the purposes of this section the period of World War 581
I shall be from April 6, 1917 to December 1, 1918, and the period 582
of World War II shall be from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 583
1946. 584
(3) In order to have restored, and to exercise, the right of 585
franchise under the provisions of this section a person affected 586
hereby shall have his discharge, or release, from the Armed Forces 587
of the United States recorded in the office of the chancery clerk 588
of the county in which such person desires to exercise the right 589
of franchise and if such discharge, or release, appears to be an 590
honorable discharge, or release, and shows such person to have 591
served honorably during either of the periods stated in subsection 592
(2) of this section such person shall have the full right of 593
suffrage restored as though an act had been passed by the 594
H. B. No. 1424 *HR26/R2117* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2117
PAGE 25 (RKM\KW)
ST: Voting rights; require certain offenders to
take voter education course and automatically
restore voting right upon release from MDOC.
Legislature in accordance with Section 253 of the Constitution of 595
the State of Mississippi restoring the right of suffrage to such 596
person. 597
SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from 598
and after July 1, 2026. 599