Voting rights; person may have restored in certain circumstances.

H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 1 (MCL\KW)

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

By: Representative Wallace

HOUSE BILL NO. 1627

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IS OTHERWISE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR AND 2
HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF CERTAIN DISENFRANCHISING CRIMES, EXCEPT FOR 3
ARSON, ARMED ROBBERY, CARJACKING, EMBEZZLEMENT, MURDER, RAPE, 4
SEXUAL BATTERY, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, CHILD EXPLOITATION, COMMERCIAL 5
SEXUAL ACTIVITY, OR STATUTORY RAPE, SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO 6
VOTE REVOKED, BUT SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AUTOMATICALLY 7
RESTORED AFTER HE OR SHE HAS SATISFIED ALL OF THE SENTENCING 8
REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONVICTION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-19, 9
23-15-125, 23-15-151, 23-15-153 AND 23-15-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 10
1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING SECTION; TO BRING FORWARD 11
SECTIONS 97-39-3 AND 99-19-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE 12
PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 13
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 14
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 15
amended as follows: 16
23-15-11. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 17
(2) of this section, every inhabitant of this state, except 18
persons adjudicated to be non compos mentis, shall be a qualified 19
elector in and for the county, municipality and voting precinct of 20
his or her residence and shall be entitled to vote at any election 21
upon compliance with Section 23-15-563, if he or she is: 22
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 2 (MCL\KW)

(a) * * * A citizen of the United States of 23
America * * *; 24
(b) Eighteen (18) years old and upwards * * *; 25
(c) * * * A resident in this state for thirty (30) days 26
and for thirty (30) days in the county in which he or she seeks to 27
vote, and for thirty (30) days in the incorporated municipality in 28
which he or she seeks to vote * * *; 29
(d) * * * Duly registered as an elector under Section 30
23-15-33 * * *; and 31
(e) * * * Never * * * convicted of arson, armed robbery, 32
carjacking, embezzlement, if the value and/or amount involved is 33
Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or more, murder, rape, statutory 34
rape, sexual battery, human trafficking, child exploitation, 35
commercial sexual activity, or vote fraud * * *. 36
If the thirtieth day to register before an election falls on 37
a Sunday or legal holiday, the registration applications submitted 38
on the business day immediately following the Sunday or legal 39
holiday shall be accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections 40
Management System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in 41
the next election. 42
(2) A person who is otherwise a qualified elector under the 43
provisions of subsection (1) of this section, and has been 44
convicted of bribery, theft, obtaining money or goods under false 45
pretense, perjury, forgery, bigamy, or any crime interpreted as 46
disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions, except for 47
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 3 (MCL\KW)

arson, armed robbery, carjacking, embezzlement, if the value 48
and/or amount involved is Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or 49
more, murder, rape, sexual battery, human trafficking, child 50
exploitation, commercial sexual activity, or statutory rape, shall 51
have his or her right to vote revoked upon conviction, but shall 52
have his or her right to vote automatically restored after he or 53
she has satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of such 54
conviction. 55
(3) Any person who will be eighteen (18) years of age or 56
older on or before the date of the general election and who is 57
duly registered to vote not less than thirty (30) days before the 58
primary election associated with the general election, may vote in 59
the primary election even though the person has not reached his or 60
her eighteenth birthday at the time that the person seeks to vote 61
at the primary election. 62
(4) No others than those specified in this section shall be 63
entitled, or shall be allowed, to vote at any election. 64
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 65
amended as follows: 66
23-15-19. Any person who has been convicted of * * * any 67
crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890 68
* * *, or any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later 69
Attorney General opinions, except for arson, armed robbery, 70
carjacking, embezzlement, if the value and/or amount involved is 71
Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or more, murder, rape, sexual 72
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 4 (MCL\KW)

battery, human trafficking, child exploitation, commercial sexual 73
activity, or statutory rape, shall * * * have his or her right to 74
vote revoked upon conviction, but shall have his or her right to 75
vote automatically restored once he or she has satisfied all of 76
the sentencing requirements of such conviction. Whenever any 77
person shall be convicted in the circuit court of his or her 78
county of a disenfranchising crime, the county registrar 79
shall * * * remove his or her name from the Statewide Elections 80
Management System until the person has satisfied all of the 81
sentencing requirements of such conviction; and whenever any 82
person shall be convicted of a disenfranchising crime in any other 83
court of any county, the presiding judge of the court shall, on 84
demand, certify the fact in writing to the registrar of the county 85
in which the voter resides, who shall * * * remove the name of the 86
person from the Statewide Elections Management System until he or 87
she has satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of such 88
conviction and retain the certificate as a record of his or her 89
office. 90
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-125, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 91
amended as follows: 92
23-15-125. The pollbook of each voting precinct shall 93
designate the voting precinct for which it is to be used, and 94
shall be ruled in appropriate columns, with printed or written 95
headings, as follows: date of registration; voter registration 96
number; name of electors; date of birth; and a number of blank 97
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 5 (MCL\KW)

columns for the dates of elections. All qualified applicants who 98
register with the registrar shall be entered in the Statewide 99
Elections Management System. Only the names of those qualified 100
applicants who register within thirty (30) days before an election 101
shall appear on the pollbooks of the election; however, if the 102
thirtieth day to register before an election falls on a Sunday or 103
legal holiday, the registration applications submitted on the 104
business day immediately following the legal holiday shall be 105
accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System 106
for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next election. 107
When county election commissioners determine that any elector is 108
disqualified from voting, by reason of death, conviction of 109
a * * * disenfranchising crime, removal from the jurisdiction, 110
failure to comply with the provisions of Section 23-15-152, or 111
other legal cause, that fact shall be noted in the Statewide 112
Elections Management System and the voter's name shall be purged 113
from the Statewide Elections Management System, the state's voter 114
roll and the county's pollbooks. Nothing in this section shall 115
preclude the use of electronic pollbooks. A person who is 116
otherwise a qualified elector under the provisions of Section 117
23-15-11 and has been convicted of bribery, theft, obtaining money 118
or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, bigamy, or any 119
crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 120
opinions, with the exception of arson, armed robbery, carjacking, 121
embezzlement, if the value and/or amount involved is Five Thousand 122
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 6 (MCL\KW)

Dollars ($5,000.00) or more, murder, rape, sexual battery, human 123
trafficking, child exploitation, commercial sexual activity, or 124
statutory rape, shall have his or her right to vote revoked upon 125
conviction, but shall have his or her right to vote automatically 126
restored after he or she has satisfied all of the sentencing 127
requirements of such conviction. After the person has satisfied 128
all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction, the voter's 129
name shall be automatically restored into the Statewide Elections 130
Management System, the state's voter roll and the county's 131
pollbooks. 132
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 133
amended as follows: 134
23-15-151. The circuit clerk of each county is authorized 135
and directed to prepare and keep in his or her office a full and 136
complete list, in alphabetical order, of persons convicted of 137
voter fraud or of any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi 138
Constitution of 1890, or any crime interpreted as disenfranchising 139
in later Attorney General opinions, whose right to vote has been 140
revoked upon his or her conviction. A certified copy of any 141
enrollment by one (1) clerk to another will be sufficient 142
authority for the enrollment of the name, or names, in another 143
county. A list of persons convicted of voter fraud, any crime 144
listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or any 145
crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 146
opinions, shall also be entered into the Statewide Elections 147
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 7 (MCL\KW)

Management System on a quarterly basis. * * * A person who is 148
otherwise a qualified elector under the provisions of Section 149
23-15-11 and has been convicted of voter fraud, any crime listed 150
in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or any crime 151
interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 152
opinions, with the exception of arson, armed robbery, carjacking, 153
embezzlement, if the value and/or amount involved is Five Thousand 154
Dollars ($5,000.00) or more, murder, rape, sexual battery, human 155
trafficking, child exploitation, commercial sexual activity, or 156
statutory rape, shall have his or her right to vote revoked upon 157
conviction, but shall have his or her right to vote automatically 158
restored after he or she has satisfied all of the sentencing 159
requirements of the conviction. After the person has satisfied 160
all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction, the voter's 161
name shall be automatically restored into the Statewide Elections 162
Management System, the state's voter roll and the county's 163
pollbooks. 164
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-153, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 165
amended as follows: 166
23-15-153. (1) At least during the following times, the 167
election commissioners shall meet at the office of the registrar 168
or the office of the election commissioners to carefully revise 169
the county voter roll as electronically maintained by the 170
Statewide Elections Management System and remove from the roll the 171
names of all voters who have requested to be purged from the voter 172
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 8 (MCL\KW)

roll, died, received an adjudication of non compos mentis, been 173
convicted of a disenfranchising crime and had his or her right to 174
vote revoked because of such conviction, failed to comply with the 175
provisions of Section 23-15-152, or otherwise become disqualified 176
as electors for any cause, and shall register the names of all 177
persons who have duly applied to be registered but have been 178
illegally denied registration: 179
(a) On the Tuesday after the second Monday in January 180
1987 and every following year; 181
(b) On the first Tuesday in the month immediately 182
preceding the first primary election for members of Congress in 183
the years when members of Congress are elected; 184
(c) On the first Monday in the month immediately 185
preceding the first primary election for state, state district 186
legislative, county and county district offices in the years in 187
which those offices are elected; and 188
(d) On the second Monday of September preceding the 189
general election or regular special election day in years in which 190
a general election is not conducted. 191
Except for the names of those voters who are duly qualified 192
to vote in the election, no name shall be permitted to remain in 193
the Statewide Elections Management System; however, no name shall 194
be purged from the Statewide Elections Management System based on 195
a change in the residence of an elector except in accordance with 196
procedures provided for by the National Voter Registration Act of 197
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 9 (MCL\KW)

1993 and as provided in Section 23-15-152. Except as otherwise 198
provided by Section 23-15-573, no person shall vote at any 199
election whose name is not in the county voter roll electronically 200
maintained by the Statewide Elections Management System. 201
(2) Except as provided in this section, and subject to the 202
following annual limitations, the election commissioners shall be 203
entitled to receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten 204
Dollars ($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for 205
every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 206
over two (2) or more days actually employed in the performance of 207
their duties in the conduct of an election or actually employed in 208
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 209
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 210
by the Statewide Elections Management System as required in 211
subsection (1) of this section: 212
(a) In counties having less than fifteen thousand 213
(15,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 214
census, not more than fifty (50) days per year, with no more than 215
fifteen (15) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 216
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 217
(b) In counties having fifteen thousand (15,000) 218
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 219
less than thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the 220
latest federal decennial census, not more than seventy-five (75) 221
days per year, with no more than twenty-five (25) additional days 222
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 10 (MCL\KW)

allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (1) 223
occurring in any calendar year; 224
(c) In counties having thirty thousand (30,000) 225
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 226
less than seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the 227
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred (100) 228
days per year, with no more than thirty-five (35) additional days 229
allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 230
occurring in any calendar year; 231
(d) In counties having seventy thousand (70,000) 232
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 233
less than ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the 234
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred 235
twenty-five (125) days per year, with no more than forty-five (45) 236
additional days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess 237
of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 238
(e) In counties having ninety thousand (90,000) 239
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 240
less than one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents 241
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 242
one hundred fifty (150) days per year, with no more than 243
fifty-five (55) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 244
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 245
(f) In counties having one hundred seventy thousand 246
(170,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 247
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 11 (MCL\KW)

census but less than two hundred thousand (200,000) residents 248
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 249
one hundred seventy-five (175) days per year, with no more than 250
sixty-five (65) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 251
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 252
(g) In counties having two hundred thousand (200,000) 253
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 254
less than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents 255
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 256
one hundred ninety (190) days per year, with no more than 257
seventy-five (75) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 258
election in excess of one (l) occurring in any calendar year; 259
(h) In counties having two hundred twenty-five thousand 260
(225,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 261
census but less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) 262
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 263
more than two hundred fifteen (215) days per year, with no more 264
than eighty-five (85) additional days allowed for the conduct of 265
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 266
(i) In counties having two hundred fifty thousand 267
(250,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 268
census but less than two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) 269
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 270
more than two hundred thirty (230) days per year, with no more 271
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 12 (MCL\KW)

than ninety-five (95) additional days allowed for the conduct of 272
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 273
(j) In counties having two hundred seventy-five 274
thousand (275,000) residents according to the latest federal 275
decennial census or more, not more than two hundred forty (240) 276
days per year, with no more than one hundred five (105) additional 277
days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 278
occurring in any calendar year. 279
(3) In addition to the number of days authorized in 280
subsection (2) of this section, the board of supervisors of a 281
county may authorize, in its discretion, the election 282
commissioners to receive a per diem in the amount provided for in 283
subsection (2) of this section, to be paid from the county general 284
fund, for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 285
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 286
performance of their duties in the conduct of an election or 287
actually employed in the performance of their duties for the 288
necessary time spent in the revision of the county voter roll as 289
electronically maintained by the Statewide Elections Management 290
System as required in subsection (1) of this section, not to 291
exceed five (5) days. 292
(4) (a) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 293
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars 294
($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed 295
ten (10) days for every day or period of no less than five (5) 296
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 13 (MCL\KW)

hours accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in 297
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 298
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 299
by the Statewide Elections Management System before any special 300
election. For purposes of this paragraph, the regular special 301
election day shall not be considered a special election. The 302
annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of this section 303
shall not apply to this paragraph. 304
(b) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 305
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Sixty-five Dollars 306
($165.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for the 307
performance of their duties on the day of any primary, runoff, 308
general or special election; however, the board of supervisors 309
may, in its discretion, pay the election commissioners an 310
additional amount not to exceed Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) per 311
election. The annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of 312
this section shall apply to this paragraph. 313
(5) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 314
a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars ($110.00), to 315
be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed fourteen (14) 316
days for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 317
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 318
performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in the 319
revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained by 320
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 14 (MCL\KW)

the Statewide Elections Management System and in the conduct of a 321
runoff election following either a general or special election. 322
(6) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 323
only one (1) per diem payment for those days when the election 324
commissioners discharge more than one (1) duty or responsibility 325
on the same day. 326
(7) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 327
a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars ($110.00), to 328
be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed five (5) days 329
for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 330
over two (2) or more days for those days when the election 331
commissioners shall be required to conduct an audit of an election 332
as provided in Section 23-15-615. 333
(8) In preparation for a municipal primary, runoff, general 334
or special election, the county registrar shall generate and 335
distribute the master voter roll and pollbooks from the Statewide 336
Elections Management System for the municipality located within 337
the county. The municipality shall pay the county registrar for 338
the actual cost of preparing and printing the municipal master 339
voter roll pollbooks. A municipality may secure "read only" 340
access to the Statewide Elections Management System and print its 341
own pollbooks using this information. 342
(9) County election commissioners who perform the duties of 343
an executive committee with regard to the conduct of a primary 344
election under a written agreement authorized by law to be entered 345
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 15 (MCL\KW)

into with an executive committee shall receive per diem as 346
provided for in subsection (2) of this section. The days that 347
county election commissioners are employed in the conduct of a 348
primary election shall be treated the same as days county election 349
commissioners are employed in the conduct of other elections. 350
(10) In addition to any per diem authorized by this section, 351
any election commissioner shall be entitled to the mileage 352
reimbursement rate allowable to federal employees for the use of a 353
privately owned vehicle while on official travel on election day. 354
(11) Every election commissioner shall sign personally a 355
certification setting forth the number of hours actually worked in 356
the performance of the commissioner's official duties and for 357
which the commissioner seeks compensation. The certification must 358
be on a form as prescribed in this subsection. The commissioner's 359
signature is, as a matter of law, made under the commissioner's 360
oath of office and under penalties of perjury. 361
The certification form shall be as follows: 362
COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER 363
PER DIEM CLAIM FORM 364
NAME: ____________________________ COUNTY: _______________ 365
ADDRESS: _________________________ DISTRICT: _____________ 366
CITY: ______________ ZIP: ________ 367
PURPOSE APPLICABLE ACTUAL PER DIEM 368
DATE BEGINNING ENDING OF MS CODE HOURS DAYS 369
WORKED TIME TIME WORK SECTION WORKED EARNED 370
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 16 (MCL\KW)

________________________________________________________________ 371
________________________________________________________________ 372
________________________________________________________________ 373
TOTAL NUMBER OF PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 374
EXCLUDING ELECTION DAYS ________ 375
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $110.00 376
TOTAL NUMBER PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 377
FOR ELECTION DAYS ________ 378
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $165.00 379
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECTION DAY 380
DISCRETIONARY ADDITION(S) 381
TO PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $35.00 382
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PER DIEM CLAIMED $_______ 383
I understand that I am signing this document under my oath as 384
an election commissioner and under penalties of perjury. 385
I understand that I am requesting payment from taxpayer funds 386
and that I have an obligation to be specific and truthful as to 387
the amount of hours worked and the compensation I am requesting. 388
Signed this the _____ day of ______________, ____. 389
________________________ 390
Commissioner's Signature 391
When properly completed and signed, the certification must be 392
filed with the clerk of the county board of supervisors before any 393
payment may be made. The certification will be a public record 394
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 17 (MCL\KW)

available for inspection and reproduction immediately upon the 395
oral or written request of any person. 396
Any person may contest the accuracy of the certification in 397
any respect by notifying the chair of the commission, any member 398
of the board of supervisors or the clerk of the board of 399
supervisors of the contest at any time before or after payment is 400
made. If the contest is made before payment is made, no payment 401
shall be made as to the contested certificate until the contest is 402
finally disposed of. The person filing the contest shall be 403
entitled to a full hearing, and the clerk of the board of 404
supervisors shall issue subpoenas upon request of the contestor 405
compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of documents 406
and things. The contestor shall have the right to appeal de novo 407
to the circuit court of the involved county, which appeal must be 408
perfected within thirty (30) days from a final decision of the 409
commission, the clerk of the board of supervisors or the board of 410
supervisors, as the case may be. 411
Any contestor who successfully contests any certification 412
will be awarded all expenses incident to his or her contest, 413
together with reasonable attorney's fees, which will be awarded 414
upon petition to the chancery court of the involved county upon 415
final disposition of the contest before the election commission, 416
board of supervisors, clerk of the board of supervisors, or, in 417
case of an appeal, final disposition by the court. The 418
commissioner against whom the contest is decided shall be liable 419
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 18 (MCL\KW)

for the payment of the expenses and attorney's fees, and the 420
county shall be jointly and severally liable for same. 421
(12) Any election commissioner who has not received a 422
certificate issued by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 423
23-15-211 indicating that the election commissioner has received 424
the required elections seminar instruction and that the election 425
commissioner is fully qualified to conduct an election, shall not 426
receive any compensation authorized by this section or Section 427
23-15-239. 428
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 429
amended as follows: 430
23-15-165. (1) The Office of the Secretary of State, in 431
cooperation with the county registrars and election commissioners, 432
shall procure, implement and maintain an electronic information 433
processing system and programs capable of maintaining a 434
centralized database of all registered voters in the state. The 435
system shall encompass software and hardware, at both the state 436
and county level, software development training, conversion and 437
support and maintenance for the system. The Secretary of State 438
shall equip the Statewide Elections Management System with 439
appropriate security measures to protect private information of 440
the registered voter and the integrity of Mississippi elections. 441
This system shall be known as the "Statewide Elections Management 442
System" and shall constitute the official record of registered 443
voters in every county of the state. 444
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 19 (MCL\KW)

(2) The Office of the Secretary of State shall develop and 445
implement the Statewide Elections Management System so that the 446
registrar and election commissioners of each county shall: 447
(a) Verify that an applicant that is registering to 448
vote in that county is not registered to vote in another county; 449
(b) Be notified automatically that a registered voter 450
in its county has registered to vote in another county; 451
(c) Receive regular reports of death, changes of 452
address and convictions for * * * disenfranchising crimes, which 453
cause a voter to have his or her right to vote revoked, that apply 454
to voters registered in the county; 455
(d) Receive regular reports of voters who were not 456
convicted of arson, armed robbery, carjacking, embezzlement, if 457
the value and/or amount involved is Five Thousand Dollars 458
($5,000.00) or more, murder, rape, sexual battery, human 459
trafficking, child exploitation, commercial sexual activity, or 460
statutory rape, and have satisfied all of the sentencing 461
requirements of his or her felony conviction described in 462
paragraph (c) of this subsection and automatically restore the 463
voter's name into the Statewide Elections Management System, the 464
state's voter roll and the county's pollbooks; 465
( * * *e) Retain all present functionality related to, 466
but not limited to, the use of voter roll data and to implement 467
such other functionality as the law requires to enhance the 468
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 20 (MCL\KW)

maintenance of accurate county voter records and related jury 469
selection and redistricting programs; and 470
( * * *f) When evidence exists that a registered voter 471
may not be a citizen of the United States as provided in Section 472
23-15-15, send notification to the registrar of the location where 473
the person is registered to vote. 474
(3) As a part of the procurement and implementation of the 475
system, the Office of the Secretary of State shall, with the 476
assistance of the advisory committee, procure services necessary 477
to convert current voter registration records in the counties into 478
a standard, industry accepted file format that can be used on the 479
Statewide Elections Management System. Thereafter, all official 480
voter information shall be maintained on the Statewide Elections 481
Management System. The standard industry accepted format of data 482
was reviewed and approved by a majority of the advisory committee 483
created in subsection (5) of this section after consultation with 484
the Circuit Clerks Association and the format may not be changed 485
without consulting the Circuit Clerks Association. 486
(4) The Secretary of State may, with the assistance of the 487
advisory committee, adopt rules and regulations necessary to 488
administer the Statewide Elections Management System. The rules 489
and regulations shall at least: 490
(a) Provide for the establishment and maintenance of a 491
centralized database for all voter registration information in the 492
state; 493
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 21 (MCL\KW)

(b) Provide procedures for integrating data into the 494
centralized database; 495
(c) Provide security to ensure that only the registrar, 496
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 497
may require, can add information to, delete information from and 498
modify information in the system; 499
(d) Provide the registrar or his or her designee or 500
other appropriate official, as the law may require, access to the 501
system at all times, including the ability to download copies of 502
the industry standard file, for all purposes related to their 503
official duties, including, but not limited to, exclusive access 504
for the purpose of printing all local pollbooks; 505
(e) Provide security and protection of all information 506
in the system and monitor the system to ensure that unauthorized 507
access is not allowed; 508
(f) Provide a procedure that will allow the registrar, 509
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 510
may require, to identify the precinct to which a voter should be 511
assigned; and 512
(g) Provide a procedure for phasing in or converting 513
existing manual and computerized voter registration systems in 514
counties to the Statewide Elections Management System. 515
(5) The Secretary of State established an advisory committee 516
to assist in developing system specifications, procurement, 517
implementation and maintenance of the Statewide Elections 518
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 22 (MCL\KW)

Management System. The committee included two (2) representatives 519
from the Circuit Clerks Association, appointed by the association; 520
two (2) representatives from the Election Commissioners 521
Association of Mississippi, appointed by the association; one (1) 522
member of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, or its 523
staff, appointed by the association; the Director of the Stennis 524
Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, or his or 525
her designee; the Executive Director of the Department of 526
Information Technology Services, or his or her designee; two (2) 527
persons knowledgeable about elections and information technology 528
appointed by the Secretary of State; and the Secretary of State, 529
who shall serve as the chair of the advisory committee. 530
(6) (a) Social security numbers, telephone numbers, email 531
addresses, and date of birth and age information in statewide, 532
district, county and municipal voter registration files shall be 533
exempt from and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, 534
copying or reproduction under the Mississippi Public Records Act 535
of 1983. 536
(b) Copies of statewide, district, county or municipal 537
voter registration files, excluding social security numbers, 538
telephone numbers, email addresses, and date of birth and age 539
information, shall be provided to any person in accordance with 540
the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 at a cost not to exceed 541
the actual cost of production. 542
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 23 (MCL\KW)

SECTION 7. Section 97-39-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 543
brought forward as follows: 544
97-39-3. If any person shall fight a duel, or give or accept 545
a challenge to fight a duel, or knowingly carry or deliver such 546
challenge or the acceptance thereof, or be second to either party 547
to any duel, whether such act be done in the state or out of it, 548
or who shall go out of the state to fight a duel, or to assist in 549
the same as second, or to send, accept, or carry a challenge, 550
shall be disqualified from holding any office, be disenfranchised, 551
and incapable of holding or being elected to any post of honor, 552
profit or emolument, civil or military, under the constitution and 553
laws of this state; and the appointment of any such person to 554
office, as also all votes given to any such person, are illegal, 555
and none of the votes given to such person for any office shall be 556
taken or counted. 557
SECTION 8. Section 99-19-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 558
brought forward as follows: 559
99-19-37. (1) Any person who has lost the right of suffrage 560
by reason of conviction of crime and has not been pardoned 561
therefrom, who thereafter served honorably in any branch of the 562
Armed Forces of the United States during the periods of World War 563
I or World War II as hereinafter defined and shall have received 564
an honorable discharge, or release therefrom, shall by reason of 565
such honorable service, have the full right of suffrage restored, 566
H. B. No. 1627 *HR26/R211.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R211.1
PAGE 24 (MCL\KW)
ST: Voting rights; person may have restored in
certain circumstances.
provided, however, this does not apply to any one having an 567
unfinished or suspended sentence. 568
(2) For the purposes of this section the period of World War 569
I shall be from April 6, 1917 to December 1, 1918, and the period 570
of World War II shall be from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 571
1946. 572
(3) In order to have restored, and to exercise, the right of 573
franchise under the provisions of this section a person affected 574
hereby shall have his discharge, or release, from the Armed Forces 575
of the United States recorded in the office of the chancery clerk 576
of the county in which such person desires to exercise the right 577
of franchise and if such discharge, or release, appears to be an 578
honorable discharge, or release, and shows such person to have 579
served honorably during either of the periods stated in subsection 580
(2) of this section such person shall have the full right of 581
suffrage restored as though an act had been passed by the 582
Legislature in accordance with Section 253 of the Constitution of 583
the State of Mississippi restoring the right of suffrage to such 584
person. 585
SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from 586
and after July 1, 2026. 587