Online voter registration; authorize and establish the process for.

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To: Apportionment and
Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Summers

HOUSE BILL NO. 593

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-49, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO AUTHORIZE ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS; TO 2
PROVIDE THE TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION 3
APPLICATION; TO PROVIDE THE PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING AN ONLINE VOTER 4
APPLICATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COUNTY REGISTRAR SHALL REVIEW THE 5
ONLINE VOTER APPLICATION TO DETERMINE IF THE APPLICANT IS 6
QUALIFIED TO VOTE AND IF THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE; TO PROVIDE 7
WHEN AN ONLINE VOTER APPLICATION MAY BE REJECTED; TO AMEND 8
SECTIONS 23-15-13, 23-15-35, 23-15-37 AND 23-15-79, MISSISSIPPI 9
CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR 10
RELATED PURPOSES. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 12
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-49, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 13
amended as follows: 14
23-15-49. (1) A person who is qualified to register to vote 15
in the State of Mississippi may register to vote by online 16
application in the manner prescribed in this section. 17
(2) A qualified elector may register to vote under this 18
section if the person: 19
(a) Is eligible to register to vote under Section 20
23-15-11; 21
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(b) Has a current and valid Mississippi driver's 22
license or photo identification card issued by the Mississippi 23
Department of Public Safety; and 24
(c) Completes the online application to vote at least 25
thirty (30) days before an election; however, if the thirtieth day 26
to register before an election falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, 27
the online registration application must remain open on the 28
business day immediately following the Sunday or legal holiday and 29
be accepted and entered into the Statewide Elections Management 30
System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next 31
election. The online submission date of an online application is 32
the applicant's date of registration. 33
( * * *3) (a) The Secretary of State shall, with the 34
support of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, establish 35
a secure Internet website to permit registration as a first-time 36
voter in Mississippi and to permit registered electors to change 37
their name, address or other information set forth in the 38
elector's existing voter registration record. 39
(b) Upon the request of an elector through the secure 40
website, the software used by the Secretary of State for 41
processing applications through the website shall provide for 42
verification that: 43
(i) The elector has a current and valid 44
Mississippi driver's license or photo identification card issued 45
by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the number for 46
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that driver's license or photo identification card provided by the 47
applicant matches the number for the elector's driver's license or 48
photo identification card that is on file with the Mississippi 49
Department of Public Safety; 50
(ii) The name and date of birth provided by the 51
voter matches the name and date of birth that is on file with the 52
Mississippi Department of Public Safety; * * * 53
(iii) The information provided by the elector 54
matches the information on file with the Mississippi Department of 55
Public Safety * * *; and 56
(iv) The elector is eligible to register to vote 57
under Section 23-15-11. 58
(4) If any of the information does not match that on file 59
with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the changes 60
shall be rejected. 61
(5) (a) The form of the online application to vote must be 62
established by rule duly adopted by the Secretary of State. Once 63
a qualified elector has completed the online application to vote, 64
the application must be reviewed by the county registrar of the 65
applicant's county of residence. 66
(b) The county registrar of the applicant's county of 67
residence shall verify the application either by matching the 68
applicant's Mississippi driver's license number through the 69
Mississippi Department of Public Safety or by matching the 70
applicant's social security number through the American 71
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Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Within fourteen (14) 72
days of submission of an online voter registration application, 73
the county registrar shall complete action on the application, 74
including any attempts to notify the applicant of the status of 75
his or her application. 76
(c) If the county registrar determines that the 77
applicant is qualified and his or her application is complete, the 78
county registrar shall mail the applicant written notification 79
that the application has been approved, specifying the county 80
voting precinct, municipal voting precinct, if any, polling place 81
and supervisor district in which the person may vote. This 82
written notification of approval containing the specified 83
information will be the voter's registration card. The 84
registration card must be provided by the county registrar to the 85
applicant in accordance with Section 23-15-39. Upon entry of the 86
voter registration information into the Statewide Elections 87
Management System, the system will assign a voter registration 88
number to the applicant. The assigned voter registration number 89
must be shown clearly on the written notification of approval. In 90
mailing the written notification, the county registrar shall note 91
the following on the envelope: "DO NOT FORWARD". If a 92
registration notification form is returned as undeliverable, the 93
voter's registration is void. 94
(d) An online voter application must be rejected for 95
any of the following reasons: 96
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(i) An incomplete portion of the application makes 97
it impossible for the registrar to determine the eligibility of 98
the applicant to register; 99
(ii) The county registrar is unable to determine, 100
from the address and information stated on the application, the 101
precinct in which the voter should be assigned or the supervisor 102
district in which he or she is entitled to vote; 103
(iii) The applicant is not qualified to register 104
to vote pursuant to Section 23-15-11; 105
(iv) The county registrar determines that the 106
applicant already is registered as a qualified elector of the 107
county; or 108
(v) The county registrar is unable to verify the 109
application by matching the applicant's Mississippi driver's 110
license number through the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 111
or by matching the applicant's social security number through the 112
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. 113
(e) If the online voter application of a person is 114
subject to rejection for any of the reasons set forth in paragraph 115
(d)(i) or (ii) of this subsection, and it appears to the county 116
registrar that the defect or omission is of such a minor nature 117
that any necessary additional information may be supplied by the 118
applicant over the telephone or by further correspondence, the 119
county registrar may write or call the applicant at the telephone 120
number or address, or both, provided on the application. If the 121
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county registrar is able to contact the applicant by mail or 122
telephone, the county registrar shall attempt to ascertain the 123
necessary information, and if this information is sufficient for 124
the registrar to complete the application, the applicant must be 125
registered. If the necessary information cannot be obtained by 126
mail or telephone, or is not sufficient to complete the 127
application within fourteen (14) days of receipt, the county 128
registrar shall give the applicant written notice of the rejection 129
and provide the reason for the rejection. The county registrar 130
shall further inform the applicant that he or she has a right to 131
attempt to register by appearing in person or by filing another 132
online application. 133
(f) If an online application is subject to rejection 134
for the reason stated in paragraph (d)(iv) of this subsection and 135
the "present home address" portion of the application is different 136
from the residence address for the applicant found in the 137
Statewide Elections Management System, the online application must 138
be deemed an online request to update the voter's registration 139
pursuant to Section 23-15-13. The county registrar or the 140
election commissioners shall update the voter's residence address 141
in the Statewide Elections Management System and, if necessary, 142
advise the voter of a change in the location of his or her county 143
or municipal polling place by mailing the voter a new voter 144
registration card. 145
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( * * *6) Any person who attempts to change registration 146
information or register to vote under this section shall be 147
subject to the penalties for false registration provided for in 148
Section 97-13-25. 149
( * * *7) The Secretary of State and the Department of 150
Public Safety shall enter into a memorandum of understanding 151
providing for the sharing of information required to facilitate 152
the requirements of this section. 153
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 154
amended as follows: 155
23-15-13. (1) An elector who moves from one (1) ward or 156
voting precinct to another ward within the same municipality or 157
voting precinct within the same county shall not be disqualified 158
to vote, but he or she shall be entitled to have his or her 159
registration transferred to his or her new ward or voting precinct 160
upon making a written or online request therefor at any time up to 161
thirty (30) days before the election at which he or she offers to 162
vote, and if the removal occurs within thirty (30) days of such 163
election he or she shall be entitled to vote in his or her new 164
ward or voting precinct by affidavit ballot as provided in Section 165
23-15-573. If the thirtieth day to transfer the elector's 166
registration before an election falls on a Sunday or legal 167
holiday, the transfer of the elector's registration submitted on 168
the business day immediately following the Sunday or legal holiday 169
shall be accepted and entered into the Statewide Elections 170
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Management System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in 171
the next election. 172
(2) If an elector requests a change in his or her address 173
under Section 23-15-49 and the address is located in a precinct in 174
the county or municipality that differs from the precinct as 175
reflected in the then current registration records, the request 176
shall be treated in the same manner as a written request to 177
transfer the elector's registration under subsection (1) of this 178
section. 179
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 180
amended as follows: 181
23-15-35. (1) The clerk of the municipality shall be the 182
registrar of voters of the municipality, and shall take the oath 183
of office prescribed by Section 268 of the Constitution. The 184
municipal registration shall conform to the county registration 185
which shall be a part of the official record of registered voters 186
as contained in the Statewide Elections Management System. The 187
municipal clerk shall comply with all the provisions of law 188
regarding the registration of voters, including the use of the 189
voter registration applications used by county registrars and 190
prescribed by the Secretary of State under Sections 23-15-39 and 191
23-15-47 and the use of online voter registration applications 192
provided in Section 23-15-49. 193
(2) The municipal clerk shall be authorized to register 194
applicants as county electors. The municipal clerk shall forward 195
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notice of registration, a copy of the application for 196
registration, and any changes to the registration when they occur, 197
either by certified mail to the county registrar or by personal 198
delivery to the county registrar provided that a numbered receipt 199
is signed by the county registrar in return for the described 200
documents. Upon receipt of the copy of the application for 201
registration or changes to the registration, and if a review of 202
the application indicates that the applicant meets all the 203
criteria necessary to qualify as a county elector, then the county 204
registrar shall make a determination of the county voting precinct 205
in which the person making the application shall be required to 206
vote. The county registrar shall send this county voting precinct 207
information by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid, to 208
the person at the address provided on the application. Any 209
mailing costs incurred by the municipal clerk or the county 210
registrar in effectuating this subsection (2) shall be paid by the 211
county board of supervisors. If a review of the copy of the 212
application for registration or changes to the registration 213
indicates that the applicant is not qualified to vote in the 214
county, the county registrar shall challenge the application. The 215
county election commissioners shall review any challenge or 216
disqualification, after having notified the applicant by certified 217
mail of the challenge or disqualification. 218
(3) The municipal clerk shall issue to the person making the 219
application a copy of the application and the county registrar 220
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shall process the application in accordance with the law regarding 221
the handling of voter registration applications. 222
(4) The receipt of a copy of the application for 223
registration sent pursuant to Section 23-15-39(3) shall be 224
sufficient to allow the applicant to be registered as an elector 225
in the municipality, provided that such application is not 226
challenged as provided for therein. 227
(5) The municipal clerk of each municipality shall provide 228
the county registrar in which the municipality is located the 229
information necessary to conform the municipal registration to the 230
county registration which shall be a part of the official record 231
of registered voters as contained in the Statewide Elections 232
Management System. If any changes to the information occur as a 233
result of redistricting, annexation or other reason, it shall be 234
the responsibility of the municipal clerk to timely provide the 235
changes to the county registrar. The location of a polling place 236
shall not be altered within sixty (60) days of any primary, 237
general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances 238
exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent 239
circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be altered 240
within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for 241
making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their 242
next scheduled meeting. When the location of a polling place is 243
altered within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of 244
the change shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the 245
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registrar's office, the previous polling place location if it is a 246
public building, and for three (3) consecutive weeks, or each week 247
before the election if the alteration happens within three (3) 248
weeks of the election, in a newspaper that is circulated in the 249
area. 250
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 251
amended as follows: 252
23-15-37. (1) The registrar shall register the electors of 253
his or her county at any time during regular office hours. 254
(2) The county registrar may keep his or her office open to 255
register voters from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., including the noon 256
hour, for the five (5) business days immediately preceding the 257
thirtieth day before any regularly scheduled primary or general 258
election. The county registrar shall also keep his or her office 259
open from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on the Saturday immediately 260
preceding the thirtieth day before any regularly scheduled primary 261
or general election, unless that Saturday falls on a legal 262
holiday, in which case registration applications submitted on the 263
Monday immediately following the legal holiday shall be accepted 264
and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System for the 265
purpose of enabling such voters to vote in the next primary or 266
general election. 267
(3) The registrar, or any deputy registrar duly appointed by 268
law, may visit and spend such time as he or she may deem necessary 269
at any location in his or her county, selected by the registrar 270
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not less than thirty (30) days before an election, for the purpose 271
of registering voters. 272
(4) A person who is physically disabled and unable to visit 273
the office of the registrar to register to vote due to such 274
disability may contact the registrar and request that the 275
registrar or the registrar's deputy visit him or her for the 276
purpose of registering such person to vote. The registrar or the 277
registrar's deputy shall visit that person as soon as possible 278
after such request and provide the person with an application for 279
registration, if necessary. The completed application for 280
registration shall be executed in the presence of the registrar or 281
the registrar's deputy. 282
(5) (a) In the fall and spring of each year the registrar 283
of each county shall furnish all public schools with instructions 284
for submitting an online voter registration application and 285
mail-in voter registration applications. The instructions and 286
mail-in voter registration applications shall be provided in a 287
reasonable time to enable those students who will be eighteen (18) 288
years of age before a general election to be able to vote in the 289
primary and general elections. 290
(b) Each public school district shall permit access to 291
all public schools of this state for the county registrar or the 292
county registrar's deputy to register persons who are eligible to 293
vote and to provide voter education. 294
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ST: Online voter registration; authorize and
establish the process for.
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-79, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 295
amended as follows: 296
23-15-79. (1) Unless the application for registration was 297
made pursuant to Section 23-15-47 or Section 23-15-49, the date of 298
registration to vote shall be the date the application for 299
registration to vote was initially received by the registrar or, 300
if submitted by mail, the postmark date, regardless of the date on 301
which the county election commission, circuit court or Supreme 302
Court, as the case may be, makes its final determination allowing 303
the registration. 304
(2) In the case of an application for registration that has 305
been made pursuant to Section 23-15-47, the date of registration 306
to vote shall be the date the complete and legible application 307
form is received by the county registrar, or, if mailed, the 308
postmark date of the complete and legible application. 309
(3) In the case of an application for registration that has 310
been made pursuant to Section 23-15-49, the date of registration 311
to vote shall be the online submission date of the online 312
application. 313
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from 314
and after July 1, 2026. 315