Donald J. Trump Voting Rights Restoration Act; create.

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

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 19

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "DONALD J. TRUMP VOTING RIGHTS 1
RESTORATION ACT"; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 2
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IS OTHERWISE A QUALIFIED 3
ELECTOR AND HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF VOTER FRAUD, BRIBERY, THEFT, 4
ARSON, OBTAINING MONEY OR GOODS UNDER FALSE PRETENSE, PERJURY, 5
FORGERY, EMBEZZLEMENT, BIGAMY OR ANY CRIME INTERPRETED AS 6
DISENFRANCHISING IN LATER ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS, EXCEPT FOR 7
MURDER AND RAPE, SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE SUSPENDED 8
UPON CONVICTION AND SHALL NOT HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE 9
RESTORED UNTIL HE OR SHE HAS SATISFIED ALL OF THE SENTENCING 10
REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONVICTION, INCLUDING PAROLE BUT NOT 11
PROBATION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-19, 23-15-125, 23-15-151, 12
23-15-153 AND 23-15-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO 13
THE PRECEDING SECTION; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 97-39-3 AND 14
99-19-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE 15
AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 16
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 17
SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Donald J. Trump 18
Voting Rights Restoration Act." 19
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 20
amended as follows: 21
23-15-11. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 22
(2), every inhabitant of this state, except persons adjudicated to 23
be non compos mentis, is a qualified elector in and for the 24
county, municipality and voting precinct of his or her residence 25
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and is entitled to vote at any election upon compliance with 26
Section 23-15-563, if he or she: 27
(a) * * * Is a citizen of the United States of 28
America * * *; 29
(b) Is eighteen (18) years old and upwards * * *; 30
(c) * * * Has * * * been a resident in this state for 31
thirty (30) days and for thirty (30) days in the county in which 32
he or she seeks to vote, and for thirty (30) days in the 33
incorporated municipality in which he or she seeks to vote * * *; 34
(d) * * * Has * * * duly registered as an elector under 35
Section 23-15-33 * * *; and 36
(e) * * * Has never * * * convicted of rape or 37
murder * * *. 38
If the thirtieth day to register before an election falls on 39
a Sunday or legal holiday, the registration applications submitted 40
on the business day immediately following the Sunday or legal 41
holiday shall be accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections 42
Management System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in 43
the next election. 44
(2) A person who is otherwise a qualified elector under 45
subsection (1) who has been convicted of voter fraud, bribery, 46
theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, 47
perjury, forgery, embezzlement, bigamy or a crime interpreted as 48
disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions, except for 49
murder and rape, shall have his or her right to vote suspended 50
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upon conviction but shall have his or her right to vote restored 51
once he or she has satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of 52
the conviction. 53
(3) Any person who will be eighteen (18) years of age or 54
older on or before the date of the general election and who is 55
duly registered to vote not less than thirty (30) days before the 56
primary election associated with the general election, may vote in 57
the primary election even though the person has not reached his or 58
her eighteenth birthday at the time that the person seeks to vote 59
at the primary election. 60
(4) No others than those specified in this section shall be 61
entitled, or shall be allowed, to vote at any election. 62
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 63
amended as follows: 64
23-15-19. Any person who has been convicted of * * * voter 65
fraud * * *, any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi 66
Constitution of 1890, except for murder and rape, or a crime 67
interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 68
opinions, such crimes defined as "disenfranchising," shall * * * 69
have his or her right to vote suspended upon conviction but shall 70
have his or her right to vote restored once he or she has 71
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction. 72
Whenever any person shall be convicted in the circuit court of his 73
or her county of a disenfranchising crime, the county registrar 74
shall * * * remove his or her name from the Statewide Elections 75
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Management System until he or she has satisfied all of the 76
sentencing requirements of the conviction; and whenever any person 77
shall be convicted of a disenfranchising crime in any other court 78
of any county, the presiding judge of the court shall, on demand, 79
certify the fact in writing to the registrar of the county in 80
which the voter resides, who shall * * * remove the name of the 81
person from the Statewide Elections Management System until he or 82
she has satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the 83
conviction and retain the certificate as a record of his or her 84
office. 85
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-125, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 86
amended as follows: 87
23-15-125. The pollbook of each voting precinct shall 88
designate the voting precinct for which it is to be used, and 89
shall be ruled in appropriate columns, with printed or written 90
headings, as follows: date of registration; voter registration 91
number; name of electors; date of birth; and a number of blank 92
columns for the dates of elections. All qualified applicants who 93
register with the registrar shall be entered in the Statewide 94
Elections Management System. Only the names of those qualified 95
applicants who register within thirty (30) days before an election 96
shall appear on the pollbooks of the election; however, if the 97
thirtieth day to register before an election falls on a Sunday or 98
legal holiday, the registration applications submitted on the 99
business day immediately following the legal holiday shall be 100
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accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System 101
for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next election. 102
When county election commissioners determine that any elector is 103
disqualified from voting, by reason of death, conviction of a 104
disenfranchising crime, removal from the jurisdiction, failure to 105
comply with the provisions of Section 23-15-152, or other legal 106
cause, that fact shall be noted in the Statewide Elections 107
Management System and the voter's name shall be purged from the 108
Statewide Elections Management System, the state's voter roll and 109
the county's pollbooks. Nothing in this section shall preclude 110
the use of electronic pollbooks. A person who is otherwise a 111
qualified elector under Section 23-15-11 who has been convicted of 112
voter fraud, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under 113
false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, bigamy or any 114
crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 115
opinions, except for murder and rape, shall have his or her right 116
to vote suspended upon conviction but shall have his or her right 117
to vote restored once he or she has satisfied all of the 118
sentencing requirements of the conviction. Once the person has 119
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction, 120
the voter's name shall be restored in the Statewide Elections 121
Management System, the state's voter roll and the county's 122
pollbooks. 123
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 124
amended as follows: 125
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23-15-151. The circuit clerk of each county is authorized 126
and directed to prepare and keep in his or her office a full and 127
complete list, in alphabetical order, of persons convicted of 128
voter fraud, * * * of any crime listed in Section 241, Mississippi 129
Constitution of 1890, or of any crime interpreted as 130
disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions whose right to 131
vote has been suspended upon conviction. A certified copy of any 132
enrollment by one clerk to another will be sufficient authority 133
for the enrollment of the name, or names, in another county. A 134
list of persons convicted of voter fraud, any crime listed in 135
Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or any crime 136
interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General 137
opinions, shall also be entered into the Statewide Elections 138
Management System on a quarterly basis. * * * A person who is 139
otherwise a qualified elector under Section 23-15-11 who has been 140
convicted of voter fraud, any crime listed in Section 241, 141
Mississippi Constitution of 1890, except for murder and rape, or 142
any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney 143
General opinions shall have his or her right to vote suspended 144
upon conviction but shall have his or her right to vote 145
automatically restored once he or she has satisfied all of the 146
sentencing requirements of the conviction. Once the person has 147
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction, 148
the voter's name shall be restored automatically in the Statewide 149
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Elections Management System, the state's voter roll and the 150
county's pollbooks. 151
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-153, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 152
amended as follows: 153
23-15-153. (1) At least during the following times, the 154
election commissioners shall meet at the office of the registrar 155
or the office of the election commissioners to carefully revise 156
the county voter roll as electronically maintained by the 157
Statewide Elections Management System and remove from the roll the 158
names of all voters who have requested to be purged from the voter 159
roll, died, received an adjudication of non compos mentis, been 160
convicted of a disenfranchising crime and has had the person's 161
right to vote suspended, failed to comply with the provisions of 162
Section 23-15-152, or otherwise become disqualified as electors 163
for any cause, and shall register the names of all persons who 164
have duly applied to be registered but have been illegally denied 165
registration: 166
(a) On the Tuesday after the second Monday in January 167
1987 and every following year; 168
(b) On the first Tuesday in the month immediately 169
preceding the first primary election for members of Congress in 170
the years when members of Congress are elected; 171
(c) On the first Monday in the month immediately 172
preceding the first primary election for state, state district 173
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legislative, county and county district offices in the years in 174
which those offices are elected; and 175
(d) On the second Monday of September preceding the 176
general election or regular special election day in years in which 177
a general election is not conducted. 178
Except for the names of those voters who are duly qualified 179
to vote in the election, no name shall be permitted to remain in 180
the Statewide Elections Management System; however, no name shall 181
be purged from the Statewide Elections Management System based on 182
a change in the residence of an elector except in accordance with 183
procedures provided for by the National Voter Registration Act of 184
1993 and as provided in Section 23-15-152. Except as otherwise 185
provided by Section 23-15-573, no person shall vote at any 186
election whose name is not in the county voter roll electronically 187
maintained by the Statewide Elections Management System. 188
(2) Except as provided in this section, and subject to the 189
following annual limitations, the election commissioners shall be 190
entitled to receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten 191
Dollars ($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for 192
every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 193
over two (2) or more days actually employed in the performance of 194
their duties in the conduct of an election or actually employed in 195
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 196
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 197
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by the Statewide Elections Management System as required in 198
subsection (1) of this section: 199
(a) In counties having less than fifteen thousand 200
(15,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 201
census, not more than fifty (50) days per year, with no more than 202
fifteen (15) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 203
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 204
(b) In counties having fifteen thousand (15,000) 205
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 206
less than thirty thousand (30,000) residents according to the 207
latest federal decennial census, not more than seventy-five (75) 208
days per year, with no more than twenty-five (25) additional days 209
allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (1) 210
occurring in any calendar year; 211
(c) In counties having thirty thousand (30,000) 212
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 213
less than seventy thousand (70,000) residents according to the 214
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred (100) 215
days per year, with no more than thirty-five (35) additional days 216
allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 217
occurring in any calendar year; 218
(d) In counties having seventy thousand (70,000) 219
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 220
less than ninety thousand (90,000) residents according to the 221
latest federal decennial census, not more than one hundred 222
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twenty-five (125) days per year, with no more than forty-five (45) 223
additional days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess 224
of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 225
(e) In counties having ninety thousand (90,000) 226
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 227
less than one hundred seventy thousand (170,000) residents 228
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 229
one hundred fifty (150) days per year, with no more than 230
fifty-five (55) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 231
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 232
(f) In counties having one hundred seventy thousand 233
(170,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 234
census but less than two hundred thousand (200,000) residents 235
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 236
one hundred seventy-five (175) days per year, with no more than 237
sixty-five (65) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 238
election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 239
(g) In counties having two hundred thousand (200,000) 240
residents according to the latest federal decennial census but 241
less than two hundred twenty-five thousand (225,000) residents 242
according to the latest federal decennial census, not more than 243
one hundred ninety (190) days per year, with no more than 244
seventy-five (75) additional days allowed for the conduct of each 245
election in excess of one (l) occurring in any calendar year; 246
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(h) In counties having two hundred twenty-five thousand 247
(225,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 248
census but less than two hundred fifty thousand (250,000) 249
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 250
more than two hundred fifteen (215) days per year, with no more 251
than eighty-five (85) additional days allowed for the conduct of 252
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 253
(i) In counties having two hundred fifty thousand 254
(250,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial 255
census but less than two hundred seventy-five thousand (275,000) 256
residents according to the latest federal decennial census, not 257
more than two hundred thirty (230) days per year, with no more 258
than ninety-five (95) additional days allowed for the conduct of 259
each election in excess of one (1) occurring in any calendar year; 260
(j) In counties having two hundred seventy-five 261
thousand (275,000) residents according to the latest federal 262
decennial census or more, not more than two hundred forty (240) 263
days per year, with no more than one hundred five (105) additional 264
days allowed for the conduct of each election in excess of one (l) 265
occurring in any calendar year. 266
(3) In addition to the number of days authorized in 267
subsection (2) of this section, the board of supervisors of a 268
county may authorize, in its discretion, the election 269
commissioners to receive a per diem in the amount provided for in 270
subsection (2) of this section, to be paid from the county general 271
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fund, for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 272
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 273
performance of their duties in the conduct of an election or 274
actually employed in the performance of their duties for the 275
necessary time spent in the revision of the county voter roll as 276
electronically maintained by the Statewide Elections Management 277
System as required in subsection (1) of this section, not to 278
exceed five (5) days. 279
(4) (a) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 280
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars 281
($110.00), to be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed 282
ten (10) days for every day or period of no less than five (5) 283
hours accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in 284
the performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in 285
the revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained 286
by the Statewide Elections Management System before any special 287
election. For purposes of this paragraph, the regular special 288
election day shall not be considered a special election. The 289
annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of this section 290
shall not apply to this paragraph. 291
(b) The election commissioners shall be entitled to 292
receive a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Sixty-five Dollars 293
($165.00), to be paid from the county general fund, for the 294
performance of their duties on the day of any primary, runoff, 295
general or special election; however, the board of supervisors 296
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may, in its discretion, pay the election commissioners an 297
additional amount not to exceed Thirty-five Dollars ($35.00) per 298
election. The annual limitations set forth in subsection (2) of 299
this section shall apply to this paragraph. 300
(5) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 301
a per diem in the amount of One Hundred Ten Dollars ($110.00), to 302
be paid from the county general fund, not to exceed fourteen (14) 303
days for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours 304
accumulated over two (2) or more days actually employed in the 305
performance of their duties for the necessary time spent in the 306
revision of the county voter roll as electronically maintained by 307
the Statewide Elections Management System and in the conduct of a 308
runoff election following either a general or special election. 309
(6) The election commissioners shall be entitled to receive 310
only one (1) per diem payment for those days when the election 311
commissioners discharge more than one (1) duty or responsibility 312
on the same day. 313
(7) 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 five (5) days 316
for every day or period of no less than five (5) hours accumulated 317
over two (2) or more days for those days when the election 318
commissioners shall be required to conduct an audit of an election 319
as provided in Section 23-15-615. 320
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(8) In preparation for a municipal primary, runoff, general 321
or special election, the county registrar shall generate and 322
distribute the master voter roll and pollbooks from the Statewide 323
Elections Management System for the municipality located within 324
the county. The municipality shall pay the county registrar for 325
the actual cost of preparing and printing the municipal master 326
voter roll pollbooks. A municipality may secure "read only" 327
access to the Statewide Elections Management System and print its 328
own pollbooks using this information. 329
(9) County election commissioners who perform the duties of 330
an executive committee with regard to the conduct of a primary 331
election under a written agreement authorized by law to be entered 332
into with an executive committee shall receive per diem as 333
provided for in subsection (2) of this section. The days that 334
county election commissioners are employed in the conduct of a 335
primary election shall be treated the same as days county election 336
commissioners are employed in the conduct of other elections. 337
(10) In addition to any per diem authorized by this section, 338
any election commissioner shall be entitled to the mileage 339
reimbursement rate allowable to federal employees for the use of a 340
privately owned vehicle while on official travel on election day. 341
(11) Every election commissioner shall sign personally a 342
certification setting forth the number of hours actually worked in 343
the performance of the commissioner's official duties and for 344
which the commissioner seeks compensation. The certification must 345
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be on a form as prescribed in this subsection. The commissioner's 346
signature is, as a matter of law, made under the commissioner's 347
oath of office and under penalties of perjury. 348
The certification form shall be as follows: 349
COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSIONER 350
PER DIEM CLAIM FORM 351
NAME: ____________________________ COUNTY: _______________ 352
ADDRESS: _________________________ DISTRICT: _____________ 353
CITY: ______________ ZIP: ________ 354
PURPOSE APPLICABLE ACTUAL PER DIEM 355
DATE BEGINNING ENDING OF MS CODE HOURS DAYS 356
WORKED TIME TIME WORK SECTION WORKED EARNED 357
________________________________________________________________ 358
________________________________________________________________ 359
________________________________________________________________ 360
TOTAL NUMBER OF PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 361
EXCLUDING ELECTION DAYS ________ 362
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $110.00 363
TOTAL NUMBER PER DIEM DAYS EARNED 364
FOR ELECTION DAYS ________ 365
PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $165.00 366
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECTION DAY 367
DISCRETIONARY ADDITION(S) 368
TO PER DIEM RATE PER DAY EARNED X $35.00 369
TOTAL AMOUNT OF PER DIEM CLAIMED $_______ 370
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I understand that I am signing this document under my oath as 371
an election commissioner and under penalties of perjury. 372
I understand that I am requesting payment from taxpayer funds 373
and that I have an obligation to be specific and truthful as to 374
the amount of hours worked and the compensation I am requesting. 375
Signed this the _____ day of ______________, ____. 376
________________________ 377
Commissioner's Signature 378
When properly completed and signed, the certification must be 379
filed with the clerk of the county board of supervisors before any 380
payment may be made. The certification will be a public record 381
available for inspection and reproduction immediately upon the 382
oral or written request of any person. 383
Any person may contest the accuracy of the certification in 384
any respect by notifying the chair of the commission, any member 385
of the board of supervisors or the clerk of the board of 386
supervisors of the contest at any time before or after payment is 387
made. If the contest is made before payment is made, no payment 388
shall be made as to the contested certificate until the contest is 389
finally disposed of. The person filing the contest shall be 390
entitled to a full hearing, and the clerk of the board of 391
supervisors shall issue subpoenas upon request of the contestor 392
compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of documents 393
and things. The contestor shall have the right to appeal de novo 394
to the circuit court of the involved county, which appeal must be 395
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perfected within thirty (30) days from a final decision of the 396
commission, the clerk of the board of supervisors or the board of 397
supervisors, as the case may be. 398
Any contestor who successfully contests any certification 399
will be awarded all expenses incident to his or her contest, 400
together with reasonable attorney's fees, which will be awarded 401
upon petition to the chancery court of the involved county upon 402
final disposition of the contest before the election commission, 403
board of supervisors, clerk of the board of supervisors, or, in 404
case of an appeal, final disposition by the court. The 405
commissioner against whom the contest is decided shall be liable 406
for the payment of the expenses and attorney's fees, and the 407
county shall be jointly and severally liable for same. 408
(12) Any election commissioner who has not received a 409
certificate issued by the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 410
23-15-211 indicating that the election commissioner has received 411
the required elections seminar instruction and that the election 412
commissioner is fully qualified to conduct an election, shall not 413
receive any compensation authorized by this section or Section 414
23-15-239. 415
SECTION 7. Section 23-15-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 416
amended as follows: 417
23-15-165. (1) The Office of the Secretary of State, in 418
cooperation with the county registrars and election commissioners, 419
shall procure, implement and maintain an electronic information 420
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processing system and programs capable of maintaining a 421
centralized database of all registered voters in the state. The 422
system shall encompass software and hardware, at both the state 423
and county level, software development training, conversion and 424
support and maintenance for the system. The Secretary of State 425
shall equip the Statewide Elections Management System with 426
appropriate security measures to protect private information of 427
the registered voter and the integrity of Mississippi elections. 428
This system shall be known as the "Statewide Elections Management 429
System" and shall constitute the official record of registered 430
voters in every county of the state. 431
(2) The Office of the Secretary of State shall develop and 432
implement the Statewide Elections Management System so that the 433
registrar and election commissioners of each county shall: 434
(a) Verify that an applicant that is registering to 435
vote in that county is not registered to vote in another county; 436
(b) Be notified automatically that a registered voter 437
in its county has registered to vote in another county; 438
(c) Receive regular reports of death, changes of 439
address and convictions for disenfranchising crimes which cause a 440
voter to have his or her right to vote suspended that apply to 441
voters registered in the county; 442
(d) Receive regular reports of voters who were 443
convicted of voter fraud, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money 444
or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, 445
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bigamy or any crime interpreted as disenfranchising in later 446
Attorney General opinions, except for murder and rape, and have 447
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of his or her 448
conviction and automatically restore the voter's name in the 449
Statewide Elections Management System, the state's voter roll and 450
the county's pollbooks; 451
( * * *e) Retain all present functionality related to, 452
but not limited to, the use of voter roll data and to implement 453
such other functionality as the law requires to enhance the 454
maintenance of accurate county voter records and related jury 455
selection and redistricting programs; and 456
( * * *f) When evidence exists that a registered voter 457
may not be a citizen of the United States as provided in Section 458
23-15-15, send notification to the registrar of the location where 459
the person is registered to vote. 460
(3) As a part of the procurement and implementation of the 461
system, the Office of the Secretary of State shall, with the 462
assistance of the advisory committee, procure services necessary 463
to convert current voter registration records in the counties into 464
a standard, industry accepted file format that can be used on the 465
Statewide Elections Management System. Thereafter, all official 466
voter information shall be maintained on the Statewide Elections 467
Management System. The standard industry accepted format of data 468
was reviewed and approved by a majority of the advisory committee 469
created in subsection (5) of this section after consultation with 470
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the Circuit Clerks Association and the format may not be changed 471
without consulting the Circuit Clerks Association. 472
(4) The Secretary of State may, with the assistance of the 473
advisory committee, adopt rules and regulations necessary to 474
administer the Statewide Elections Management System. The rules 475
and regulations shall at least: 476
(a) Provide for the establishment and maintenance of a 477
centralized database for all voter registration information in the 478
state; 479
(b) Provide procedures for integrating data into the 480
centralized database; 481
(c) Provide security to ensure that only the registrar, 482
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 483
may require, can add information to, delete information from and 484
modify information in the system; 485
(d) Provide the registrar or his or her designee or 486
other appropriate official, as the law may require, access to the 487
system at all times, including the ability to download copies of 488
the industry standard file, for all purposes related to their 489
official duties, including, but not limited to, exclusive access 490
for the purpose of printing all local pollbooks; 491
(e) Provide security and protection of all information 492
in the system and monitor the system to ensure that unauthorized 493
access is not allowed; 494
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(f) Provide a procedure that will allow the registrar, 495
or his or her designee or other appropriate official, as the law 496
may require, to identify the precinct to which a voter should be 497
assigned; and 498
(g) Provide a procedure for phasing in or converting 499
existing manual and computerized voter registration systems in 500
counties to the Statewide Elections Management System. 501
(5) The Secretary of State established an advisory committee 502
to assist in developing system specifications, procurement, 503
implementation and maintenance of the Statewide Elections 504
Management System. The committee included two (2) representatives 505
from the Circuit Clerks Association, appointed by the association; 506
two (2) representatives from the Election Commissioners 507
Association of Mississippi, appointed by the association; one (1) 508
member of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, or its 509
staff, appointed by the association; the Director of the Stennis 510
Institute of Government at Mississippi State University, or his or 511
her designee; the Executive Director of the Department of 512
Information Technology Services, or his or her designee; two (2) 513
persons knowledgeable about elections and information technology 514
appointed by the Secretary of State; and the Secretary of State, 515
who shall serve as the chair of the advisory committee. 516
(6) (a) Social security numbers, telephone numbers, email 517
addresses, and date of birth and age information in statewide, 518
district, county and municipal voter registration files shall be 519
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exempt from and shall not be subject to inspection, examination, 520
copying or reproduction under the Mississippi Public Records Act 521
of 1983. 522
(b) Copies of statewide, district, county or municipal 523
voter registration files, excluding social security numbers, 524
telephone numbers, email addresses, and date of birth and age 525
information, shall be provided to any person in accordance with 526
the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 at a cost not to exceed 527
the actual cost of production. 528
SECTION 8. Section 97-39-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 529
brought forward as follows: 530
97-39-3. If any person shall fight a duel, or give or accept 531
a challenge to fight a duel, or knowingly carry or deliver such 532
challenge or the acceptance thereof, or be second to either party 533
to any duel, whether such act be done in the state or out of it, 534
or who shall go out of the state to fight a duel, or to assist in 535
the same as second, or to send, accept, or carry a challenge, 536
shall be disqualified from holding any office, be disenfranchised, 537
and incapable of holding or being elected to any post of honor, 538
profit or emolument, civil or military, under the constitution and 539
laws of this state; and the appointment of any such person to 540
office, as also all votes given to any such person, are illegal, 541
and none of the votes given to such person for any office shall be 542
taken or counted. 543
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SECTION 9. Section 99-19-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 544
brought forward as follows: 545
99-19-37. (1) Any person who has lost the right of suffrage 546
by reason of conviction of crime and has not been pardoned 547
therefrom, who thereafter served honorably in any branch of the 548
Armed Forces of the United States during the periods of World War 549
I or World War II as hereinafter defined and shall have received 550
an honorable discharge, or release therefrom, shall by reason of 551
such honorable service, have the full right of suffrage restored, 552
provided, however, this does not apply to any one having an 553
unfinished or suspended sentence. 554
(2) For the purposes of this section the period of World War 555
I shall be from April 6, 1917 to December 1, 1918, and the period 556
of World War II shall be from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 557
1946. 558
(3) In order to have restored, and to exercise, the right of 559
franchise under the provisions of this section a person affected 560
hereby shall have his discharge, or release, from the Armed Forces 561
of the United States recorded in the office of the chancery clerk 562
of the county in which such person desires to exercise the right 563
of franchise and if such discharge, or release, appears to be an 564
honorable discharge, or release, and shows such person to have 565
served honorably during either of the periods stated in subsection 566
(2) of this section such person shall have the full right of 567
suffrage restored as though an act had been passed by the 568
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ST: Donald J. Trump Voting Rights Restoration
Act; create.
Legislature in accordance with Section 253 of the Constitution of 569
the State of Mississippi restoring the right of suffrage to such 570
person. 571
SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from 572
and after July 1, 2026. 573