Absentee voting; establish electronic application procedure for college students.

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To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blount

SENATE BILL NO. 2047

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ESTABLISH A 1
SECURE WEBSITE TO ENABLE STUDENT VOTERS TO SUBMIT ELECTRONIC 2
ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS; TO ESTABLISH THE DOCUMENTS WHICH 3
MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE STUDENT TO APPROVE SUCH APPLICATIONS; TO 4
PROVIDE THAT UPON APPROVAL, STUDENT ABSENTEE VOTERS MAY BE 5
AUTOMATICALLY MAILED ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR ALL ELECTIONS THAT OCCUR 6
FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-627, 7
23-15-631, 23-15-715 AND 23-15-721, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 8
CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. (1) For purposes of this article, "student 11
absentee voter" or "student absentee elector" means an individual 12
who is a registered elector and who is enrolled in any institution 13
of higher education whose studies at the institution require the 14
individual's absence from the municipality or county of his or her 15
voting residence on the date of any primary, general or special 16
election. 17
(2) A student absentee elector may submit an electronic 18
absentee ballot application using the following procedures: 19
(a) The student absentee elector must print and 20
complete the application for absentee electors as described in 21
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Section 2 of this act. The application must be signed and stamped 22
by the registrar or a registrar's deputy for the institution in 23
which the student is enrolled; 24
(b) The student must copy his or her student 25
identification card issued by the institution of higher education 26
in which he or she is enrolled; and 27
(c) The student must upload the application, copy of 28
the student identification card and enter any other information as 29
may be required into the secure internet website established by 30
the Secretary of State. 31
(3) If approved, a student's application to receive absentee 32
ballots by mail is valid from the date of approval until the 33
following June 30. 34
SECTION 2. (1) The Secretary of State shall establish a 35
secure internet website to permit student absentee electors to 36
submit an electronic absentee ballot application. The software 37
used by the Secretary of State for accepting and processing 38
applications must be capable of the following: 39
(a) Uploading a copy of the elector's student 40
identification card issued by the institution in which the student 41
is enrolled; and 42
(b) Accepting an electronic absentee ballot application 43
for student voters, as described in this section. 44
(2) The electronic absentee ballot application for student 45
voters shall be substantially similar to the following form: 46
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"OFFICIAL ELECTRONIC APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 47
STUDENT ABSENTEE ELECTORS 48
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 49
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 50
the purview of the definition 'STUDENT ABSENTEE ELECTOR' will be 51
absent from the county or municipality of my residence on election 52
day (check all that apply): 53
( ) I am a student at a college, university, junior college, 54
community college or other institution of higher education whose 55
studies at such institution necessitate my absence from the county 56
of my voting residence. 57
( ) I am a student at a college, university, junior college, 58
community college or other institution of higher education whose 59
studies at such institution necessitate my absence from the 60
municipality of my voting residence. 61
I hereby assert that I am a student at 62
________________________________ (name of institute of higher 63
education of enrollment). 64
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 65
to be voted by me for any election in which I am entitled to vote 66
to be held on any day between July 1,_____ and June 30,_____. 67
My permanent physical address is __________. 68
Mail 'Absent Elector's Ballot' to me at the following address 69
_________________________________________________________________. 70
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I realize that if approved, my application to receive ballots 71
by mail will expire on June 30, _____, and that I must submit a 72
new electronic application for absent elector's ballots. 73
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 74
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 75
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 76
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 77
sentence is to be in bold print.) 78
As a student absentee elector, you are not required to have 79
this application notarized or signed by an official authorized to 80
administer oaths for absentee balloting. You are required to sign 81
this application in the proper place and have the registrar of the 82
institution of higher education in which you are enrolled, or a 83
deputy of such registrar to witness your signature and sign this 84
application in the proper place. 85
DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING. (This sentence is to be in bold 86
print.) 87
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 88
the ____ day of ______, 2___. 89
_____________________________________ 90
(Signature of absent student elector) 91
TO BE SIGNED AND SEALED BY WITNESS FOR STUDENT ABSENTEE 92
ELECTOR: 93
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this application for an absent 94
elector's ballot was signed by the above-named student elector in 95
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my presence, that I am the registrar of the institution of higher 96
education in which the above-named student elector is enrolled or 97
a deputy of such registrar, and that I have verified the 98
above-named student's enrollment in such institution, this the 99
_____ day of ____________________, 2___. 100
_____________________________________ 101
(Signature of registrar or deputy 102
registrar) 103
_____________________________________ 104
(Print name of institute of higher 105
education) 106
_____________________________________ 107
(Affix official imprint, stamp or seal 108
of institute of higher education)." 109
(3) The Secretary of State shall verify the student 110
elector's electronic absentee ballot application. If any of the 111
information within the application does not match or the 112
information does not match that on file with the elector's 113
registration record, the ballot application shall be denied. The 114
student absentee elector shall be notified of the reason for 115
denial. 116
(4) The Secretary of State shall forward approved absentee 117
ballot applications to the circuit and municipal clerks of the 118
student absentee voter's residence. Upon receipt, the circuit and 119
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municipal clerks shall affix their seals to the applications and 120
initial them. 121
(5) An approved request for an absentee ballot to be mailed 122
to a student voter shall remain valid until June 30 of each year. 123
No less than thirty (30) days before the expiration of a 124
designation to receive absentee ballots under this section, the 125
Secretary of State shall send an announcement through electronic 126
mail or postal mail to approved student absentee voters explaining 127
that they must submit a new electronic absentee ballot 128
application. 129
(6) The Secretary of State is authorized to promulgate 130
additional rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate 131
the intent of Sections 1 and 2 of this act. 132
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-627, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 133
amended as follows: 134
23-15-627. (1) Any elector described in Section 23-15-713 135
may request an absentee ballot application and vote in person at 136
the office of the registrar in the county in which he or she 137
resides. The registrar shall be responsible for furnishing an 138
absentee ballot application form to any elector authorized to 139
receive an absentee ballot. Such form shall be printed on the 140
absentee ballot envelope as provided in Section 23-15-659. Except 141
as otherwise provided in Sections 1 and 2 of this act and Section 142
23-15-625, absentee ballot applications shall be furnished to a 143
person only upon the oral or written request of the elector who 144
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seeks to vote by absentee ballot; however, the parent, child, 145
spouse, sibling, legal guardian, those empowered with a power of 146
attorney for that elector's affairs or agent of the elector, who 147
is designated in writing and witnessed by a resident of this state 148
who shall write his or her physical address on such designation, 149
may orally request an absentee ballot application on behalf of the 150
elector. The written designation shall be valid for one (1) year 151
after the date of the designation. An absentee ballot application 152
must have the seal of the circuit or municipal clerk affixed to it 153
and be initialed by the registrar or his or her deputy in order to 154
be used to obtain an absentee ballot. Except as provided in 155
Sections 1 and 2 of this act, a reproduction of an absentee ballot 156
application shall not be valid unless it is a reproduction 157
provided by the office of the registrar of the jurisdiction in 158
which the election is being held and which contains the seal and 159
initials required by this section. 160
(2) Such application shall be substantially in the following 161
form for applications mailed to absentee electors: 162
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 163
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 164
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 165
the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from 166
the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in 167
person because (check appropriate reason): 168
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( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 169
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 170
days of the coming presidential election. 171
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 172
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 173
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 174
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 175
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 176
such member. 177
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 178
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 179
such veteran. 180
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 181
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 182
Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 183
Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 184
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 185
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 186
District of Columbia. 187
( ) I am a student, teacher or administrator at a college, 188
university, junior or community college, high, junior high, 189
elementary or grade school, whose studies or employment at such 190
institution necessitates my absence from the county of my voting 191
residence or spouse or dependent of such student, teacher or 192
administrator who maintains a common domicile outside the county 193
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of my voting residence with such student, teacher or 194
administrator. 195
( ) I will be outside the county on election day. 196
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 197
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 198
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 199
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 200
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 201
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 202
person on election day. 203
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 204
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 205
( ) I am required to be at work on election day during the 206
times when the polls will be open or I am required to be on-call 207
on election day during the times when the polls will be open. 208
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 209
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 210
disenfranchising crime. 211
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 212
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 213
Mail 'Absent Elector's Ballot' to me at the following address 214
____________. 215
( ) I wish to receive an absentee ballot for the runoff 216
election ___________________________________________. 217
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Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 218
the following: 219
Phone number: _____________________________ 220
Email address: ____________________________ 221
Mailing address: __________________________ 222
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 223
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 224
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 225
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 226
sentence is to be in bold print.) 227
If you are temporarily or permanently disabled, you are not 228
required to have this application notarized or signed by an 229
official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting. 230
You are required to sign this application in the proper place and 231
have a person eighteen (18) years of age or older witness your 232
signature and sign this application in the proper place. 233
DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING. (This sentence is to be in bold 234
print.) 235
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 236
the ____ day of ______, 2___. 237
_________________________________ 238
(Signature of absent elector) 239
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me this the ____ day of _____, 240
2___. 241
_________________________________ 242
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(Official authorized to administer oaths 243
for absentee balloting.) 244
TO BE SIGNED BY WITNESS FOR VOTERS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY 245
DISABLED: 246
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this application for an absent 247
elector's ballot was signed by the above-named elector in my 248
presence and that I am at least eighteen (18) years of age, this 249
the _____ day of ____________________, 2___. 250
_________________________________ 251
(Signature of witness) 252
CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY 253
I hereby certify that _________________ (print name of voter) 254
has requested that I, __________________ (print name of person 255
delivering application), deliver to the voter this absentee ballot 256
application. 257
__________________________________________ 258
(Signature of person delivering application) 259
__________________________________________ 260
(Address of person delivering application)" 261
(3) The application printed on the front of the absentee 262
ballot envelope for absentee voters appearing before the registrar 263
shall be substantially in the following form: 264
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 265
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 266
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 267
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the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from 268
the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in 269
person because (check appropriate reason): 270
( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 271
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 272
days of the coming presidential election. 273
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 274
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 275
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 276
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 277
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 278
such member. 279
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 280
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 281
such veteran. 282
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 283
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 284
Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 285
Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 286
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 287
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 288
District of Columbia. 289
( ) I am a student, teacher or administrator at a college, 290
university, junior or community college, high, junior high, 291
elementary or grade school, whose studies or employment at such 292
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institution necessitates my absence from the county of my voting 293
residence or spouse or dependent of such student, teacher or 294
administrator who maintains a common domicile outside the county 295
of my voting residence with such student, teacher or 296
administrator. 297
( ) I will be outside the county on election day. 298
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 299
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 300
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 301
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 302
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 303
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 304
person on election day. 305
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 306
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 307
( ) I am required to be at work on election day during the 308
times when the polls will be open or I am required to be on-call 309
on election day during the times when the polls will be open. 310
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 311
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 312
disenfranchising crime. 313
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 314
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 315
Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 316
the following: 317
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Phone number: _____________________________ 318
Email address: ____________________________ 319
Mailing address: __________________________ 320
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 321
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 322
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 323
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 324
sentence is to be in bold print.)" 325
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-631, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 326
amended as follows: 327
23-15-631. (1) The registrar shall enclose with each ballot 328
mailed to an absent elector separate printed instructions 329
furnished by the registrar containing the following: 330
(a) All absentee voters, excepting those with temporary 331
or permanent physical disabilities * * *, those who are sixty-five 332
(65) years of age or older, or those who are student absentee 333
voters as defined by Section 1 of this act, who mark their ballots 334
in the county of the residence shall use the registrar of that 335
county as the witness. The absentee voter shall come to the 336
office of the registrar and neither the registrar nor his or her 337
deputy shall be required to go out of the registrar's office to 338
serve as an attesting witness. 339
(b) Upon receipt of the enclosed ballot, you will not 340
mark the ballot except in view or sight of the attesting witness. 341
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In the sight or view of the attesting witness, mark the ballot 342
according to instructions. 343
(c) After marking the ballot, fill out and sign the 344
"ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE" in the box on the back of the envelope so 345
that the signature is across the flap of the envelope to ensure 346
the integrity of the ballot. All absent electors shall have the 347
attesting witness sign the "ATTESTING WITNESS CERTIFICATE" in the 348
box across the flap on the back of the envelope. A portion of the 349
elector's signature extending outside of the box shall not be 350
grounds for rejecting that elector's ballot. Place the necessary 351
postage on the envelope and deposit it in the post office or some 352
government receptacle provided for the deposit of mail so that the 353
absent elector's ballot will be postmarked on or before the date 354
of the election and received by the registrar no more than five 355
(5) business days after the election. The ballot may only be 356
transmitted by the United States Postal Service or other common 357
carriers, including, but not limited to, United Parcel Service or 358
FedEx Corporation. 359
Any notary public, United States postmaster, assistant United 360
States postmaster, United States postal supervisor, clerk in 361
charge of a contract postal station, or other officer having 362
authority to administer an oath or take an acknowledgment may be 363
an attesting witness; provided, however, that in the case of an 364
absent elector who is temporarily or permanently physically 365
disabled or who is a student absentee voter as defined in Section 366
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1 of this act, the attesting witness may be any person eighteen 367
(18) years of age or older and such person is not required to have 368
the authority to administer an oath. If a postmaster, assistant 369
postmaster, postal supervisor, or clerk in charge of a contract 370
postal station acts as an attesting witness, his or her signature 371
in a box on the elector's certificate must be authenticated by the 372
cancellation stamp of their respective post offices. If an 373
officer having authority to administer an oath or take an 374
acknowledgment acts as attesting witness, his or her signature in 375
a box on the elector's certificate, together with his or her title 376
and address, but no seal, shall be required. A portion of the 377
elector's signature extending outside of the box shall not be 378
grounds for rejecting that elector's ballot. Any affidavits made 379
by an absent elector who is in the Armed Forces may be executed 380
before a commissioned officer, warrant officer, or noncommissioned 381
officer not lower in grade than sergeant rating or any person 382
authorized to administer oaths. 383
(d) When the application accompanies the ballot it 384
shall not be returned in the same envelope as the ballot but shall 385
be returned in a separate pre-addressed envelope provided by the 386
registrar. 387
(e) A candidate for public office, or the spouse, 388
parent or child of a candidate for public office, may not be an 389
attesting witness for any absentee ballot upon which the 390
candidate's name appears, unless the voter is related within the 391
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first degree to the candidate or the spouse, parent or child of 392
the candidate. 393
(f) Any voter casting an absentee ballot who declares 394
that he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, 395
temporary or permanent physical disability or inability to read or 396
write, shall be entitled to receive assistance in the marking of 397
his or her absentee ballot and in completing the affidavit on the 398
absentee ballot envelope. The voter may be given assistance by 399
anyone of the voter's choice other than a candidate whose name 400
appears on the absentee ballot being marked, the spouse, parent or 401
child of a candidate whose name appears on the absentee ballot 402
being marked or the voter's employer, an agent of that employer or 403
a union representative; however, a candidate whose name is on the 404
ballot or the spouse, parent or child of such candidate may 405
provide assistance upon request to any voter who is related within 406
the first degree. In order to ensure the integrity of the ballot, 407
any person who provides assistance to an absentee voter shall be 408
required to sign and complete the "Certificate of Person Providing 409
Voter Assistance" on the absentee ballot envelope. 410
(2) The foregoing instructions required to be provided by 411
the registrar to the elector shall also constitute the substantive 412
law pertaining to the handling of absentee ballots by the elector 413
and registrar. 414
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(3) The Secretary of State shall prepare instructions on how 415
absent voters may comply with the identification requirements of 416
Section 23-15-563. 417
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-715, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 418
amended as follows: 419
23-15-715. Any elector desiring an absentee ballot as 420
provided in this subarticle may secure same if: 421
(a) Not more than forty-five (45) days nor later than 422
12:00 noon, on the Saturday immediately preceding elections held 423
on Tuesday, the Thursday immediately preceding elections held on 424
Saturday, or the second day immediately preceding the date of 425
elections held on other days, he or she shall appear in person 426
before the registrar of the county in which he resides, or for 427
municipal elections he or she shall appear in person before the 428
city clerk of the municipality in which he or she resides and, 429
when the elector so appears, he or she shall execute and file an 430
application as provided in Section 23-15-627 and vote by absentee 431
ballot. If the absentee ballot has not been printed by forty-five 432
(45) days preceding the election, the elector may appear and file 433
an application anytime before the election. Then the absentee 434
ballot shall be mailed by the registrar to the elector as soon as 435
the ballot has been printed. 436
(b) Within forty-five (45) days next prior to any 437
election, any elector who cannot comply with paragraph (a) of this 438
section by reason of temporarily residing outside the county, or 439
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any person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability, 440
persons who are sixty-five (65) years of age or older, any person 441
who is incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where the 442
person is registered to vote and has not been convicted of a 443
disenfranchising crime, or any person who is the parent, spouse or 444
dependent of a temporarily or permanently physically disabled 445
person who is hospitalized outside of his or her county of 446
residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his or her 447
residence and such parent, spouse or dependent will be with such 448
person on election day, may make application for an absentee 449
ballot by mailing the appropriate application to the registrar. 450
Only persons temporarily residing out of the county of their 451
residence, persons having a temporary or permanent physical 452
disability, persons who are sixty-five (65) years of age or older, 453
any person who is incarcerated in prison or jail in the county 454
where the person is registered to vote and has not been convicted 455
of a disenfranchising crime, or any person who is the parent, 456
spouse or dependent of a temporarily or permanently physically 457
disabled person who is hospitalized outside of his or her county 458
of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his or her 459
residence, and such parent, spouse or dependent will be with such 460
person on election day, may obtain absentee ballots by mail under 461
the provisions of this * * * paragraph and as provided by Section 462
23-15-713. Applications of persons temporarily residing outside 463
the county shall be sworn to and subscribed before an official who 464
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is authorized to administer oaths or other official authorized to 465
witness absentee balloting as provided in this chapter, said 466
application to be accompanied by such verifying affidavits as 467
required by this chapter. The applications of persons having a 468
temporary or permanent physical disability shall not be required 469
to be accompanied by an affidavit but shall be witnessed and 470
signed by a person eighteen (18) years of age or older. The 471
registrar shall send to such absent voter a proper absentee voter 472
ballot within twenty-four (24) hours, or as soon thereafter as the 473
ballots are available, containing the names of all candidates who 474
qualify or the proposition to be voted on in such election, and 475
with such ballot there shall be sent an official envelope 476
containing upon it in printed form the recitals and data 477
hereinafter required. 478
(c) Except when the voter has requested a runoff ballot 479
on the initial absentee ballot application, upon request for a 480
runoff ballot pursuant to Section 23-15-719, the registrar shall 481
mail together the absentee ballot application and the absentee 482
ballot to the absent voter for the runoff election. 483
(d) Within fourteen (14) days prior to any election, 484
any student absentee voter, as defined in Section 1 of this act, 485
may make application for an absentee ballot by submitting the 486
appropriate electronic application to the Secretary of State. 487
Applications of student absentee voters shall be sworn to and 488
subscribed before the registrar or deputy registrar of the 489
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institution of higher education in which the student is enrolled. 490
The application shall be submitted with the verifying documents as 491
required by Sections 1 and 2 of this act. Only student absentee 492
voters, as defined in Section 1 of this act, may obtain absentee 493
ballots by mail under the provisions of this paragraph. The 494
registrar shall send to the student absentee voter a proper 495
absentee voter ballot within twenty-four (24) hours, or as soon 496
thereafter as the ballots are available, containing the names of 497
all candidates who qualify or the proposition to be voted on in 498
such election, and with the ballot an official envelope containing 499
upon it in printed form the recitals and data hereinafter required 500
shall be sent. 501
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-721, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 502
amended as follows: 503
23-15-721. (1) Absentee ballots requested under the 504
provisions of Section 23-15-715 for electors temporarily residing 505
outside the county of residence shall be mailed to the elector's 506
address outside of the county in which he or she is registered, 507
and such electors shall appear before any official authorized to 508
administer oaths or other official authorized to witness absentee 509
balloting as provided in this article. The elector shall exhibit 510
to such official his or her absentee ballot unmarked and thereupon 511
proceed in secret to fill in the ballot. After the elector has 512
properly marked the ballot and properly folded it, he or she shall 513
deposit it in the envelope furnished to him or her. After the 514
S. B. No. 2047 *SS08/R141* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R141
PAGE 22 (ab\kr)
ST: Absentee voting; establish electronic
application procedure for college students.
elector has sealed the envelope he or she shall deliver it to the 515
official before whom he or she is appearing and shall subscribe 516
and swear to the elector's certificate provided for in Section 517
23-15-635, which affidavit shall be printed on the back of the 518
envelope as provided for in Section 23-15-635 containing the 519
elector's ballot. 520
(2) Electors who are temporarily or permanently physically 521
disabled or who are student absentee electors receiving a ballot 522
under Section 23-15-715(d) shall sign the elector's certificate 523
and the certificate of attesting witness shall be signed by any 524
person eighteen (18) years of age or older. 525
(3) After the completion of the requirements of this 526
section, the elector shall mail the envelope containing the ballot 527
to the registrar in the county wherein the elector is qualified to 528
vote. The ballots must be postmarked by the date of the election 529
and received by the registrar no more than five (5) business days 530
after the election to be counted; any received after such time 531
shall be handled as provided in Section 23-15-647 and shall not be 532
counted. 533
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 534
and after July 1, 2026. 535