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To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Blackmon
SENATE BILL NO. 2053
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI SECRETARY OF STATE 1
SHALL MAIL OUT POSTCARDS TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS WITH THEIR 2
DESIGNATED POLLING PLACE INFORMATION; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY CHANGES 3
MADE BY LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES TO THE LOCATION OF POLLING 4
PLACES SHALL BE PROVIDED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THE 5
SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL SEND OUT POSTCARDS WITH THE UPDATED 6
INFORMATION; TO REQUIRE THAT POLLING PLACE POSTCARDS BE MAILED OUT 7
THIRTY DAYS BEFORE A GENERAL, PRIMARY OR SPECIAL ELECTION, OR AS 8
SOON AS POSSIBLE VIA CERTIFIED MAIL IF THE POLLING PLACE CHANGE 9
TAKES PLACE LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION; TO AMEND 10
SECTIONS 23-15-281 and 23-15-557, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 11
CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 12
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 13
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following terms 14
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, 15
unless context clearly requires otherwise: 16
(a) "Voting precinct" means one (1) of several 17
districts into which a county or municipality is divided for 18
voting. 19
(b) "Polling place" means the place within a precinct 20
where electors vote. 21
(2) All county or municipality governments shall provide the 22
Secretary of State with information regarding the location of each 23
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polling place within their precinct(s), at least ninety (90) days 24
before any general, primary or special elections. If there are 25
any changes to polling place locations for any reason, the county 26
or municipal government shall provide the updated location(s) to 27
the Secretary of State's office. 28
(3) The Secretary of State's office shall mail out postcards 29
to all registered voters with their polling place location 30
information at least thirty (30) days prior to any general, 31
primary or special election. If a polling place location is 32
changed less than thirty (30) days before a general, primary or 33
special election, then the postcards shall be sent as soon as 34
possible by certified mail. 35
(4) The Secretary of State shall have the authority to 36
promulgate rules and regulations regarding the formatting of the 37
postcards required by this section. 38
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-281, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 39
amended as follows: 40
23-15-281. (1) Each county shall be divided into 41
supervisors districts, which shall be the same as those for the 42
election of members of the board of supervisors, and may be 43
subdivided thereafter into voting precincts; and there shall be 44
only one (1) voting place in each voting precinct. The board of 45
supervisors shall notify the Office of the Secretary of State of 46
the boundary of each supervisors district, sub-precinct and voting 47
precinct as then fixed and shall provide the office a legal 48
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description and a map of each supervisors district, sub-precinct 49
and voting precinct and shall indicate the voting place in each 50
such district, as required by Section 1 of this act. The board of 51
supervisors shall also ensure the legal description and map of 52
each supervisors district is available in the circuit clerk's 53
office for public inspection. 54
(2) The board of supervisors is authorized, by order spread 55
upon the minutes of the board setting forth the cost and source of 56
funds therefor, to purchase improved or unimproved property and to 57
construct, reconstruct, repair, renovate and maintain polling 58
places, or to pay to private property owners reasonable rental 59
fees when the property is used as a polling place for a period not 60
to exceed the day immediately preceding the election, the day of 61
the election, and the day immediately following the election. The 62
location of a polling place shall not be altered within sixty (60) 63
days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless 64
exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors finds 65
that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be 66
altered within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons 67
for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their 68
next scheduled meeting. When the location of a polling place is 69
altered within sixty (60) days of an election, in addition to the 70
requirements of Section 1 of this act, public notice of the change 71
shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's 72
office, the previous polling place location if it is a public 73
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building, and for three (3) consecutive weeks, or each week before 74
the election if the alteration happens within three (3) weeks of 75
the election, in a newspaper that is circulated in the area. On 76
or before May 1, 2019, the county board of supervisors shall 77
ensure each polling place is accessible to all voters, 78
structurally sound, capable of providing air conditioning and 79
heating and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 80
(3) All facilities owned or leased by the state, county, 81
municipality, or school district may be made available at no cost 82
to the board of supervisors for use as polling places to such 83
extent as may be agreed to by the authority having control or 84
custody of these facilities. 85
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-557, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 86
amended as follows: 87
23-15-557. The governing authorities of any municipality 88
within the State of Mississippi are hereby authorized and 89
empowered, in their discretion, to divide the municipality into a 90
sufficient number of voting precincts of such size and location as 91
is necessary, and there shall be the same number of polling 92
places. The authority conducting an election shall not be 93
required, however, to establish a polling place in each of said 94
precincts, but such election authorities, whether in a primary or 95
in a general election, may locate and establish such polling 96
places, without regard to precinct lines, in such manner as in the 97
discretion of such authority will better accommodate the 98
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ST: Polling places; require the SOS mail
postcards to registered voters listing.
electorate and better facilitate the holding of the election. The 99
location of a polling place shall not be altered within sixty (60) 100
days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless 101
exigent circumstances exist. The governing authority of every 102
municipality shall report the location of the established polling 103
place within their voting precinct(s) as required by Section 1 of 104
this act. If the governing authorities find that exigent 105
circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be altered 106
within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for 107
making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their 108
next scheduled meeting. When the location of a polling place is 109
altered within sixty (60) days of an election, in addition to the 110
requirements of Section 1 of this act, public notice of the change 111
shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's 112
office, the previous polling place location if it is a public 113
building, and for three (3) consecutive weeks, or each week before 114
the election if the alteration happens within three (3) weeks of 115
the election in a newspaper that is circulated in the area. 116
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 117
and after July 1, 2026. 118