In-person early voting; allow one week before election.

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To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

SENATE BILL NO. 2090

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING ACT"; TO PROVIDE 1
DEFINITIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING PERIOD 2
SHALL BEGIN ON THE MONDAY ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED ELECTION 3
AND END AT 5:00 P.M. ON THE MONDAY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE 4
ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING SHALL BE FOR EACH 5
PRIMARY, GENERAL, RUNOFF, SPECIAL AND MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR 6
PUBLIC OFFICE; TO PROVIDE THE HOURS FOR IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING IN 7
THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS; TO PROVIDE 8
THAT NOTICE OF IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING SHALL BE PROVIDED IN THREE 9
PUBLIC PLACES EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THE VOTING BEGINS; TO PROVIDE THE 10
PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN CASTING A BALLOT DURING THE IN-PERSON 11
EARLY VOTING PERIOD; TO PROVIDE THE MANNER FOR CHALLENGING THE 12
QUALIFICATIONS OF A VOTER DURING THE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING 13
PERIOD; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-625, 23-15-627, 23-15-631, 14
23-15-637, 23-15-713, 23-15-715 AND 23-15-719, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 15
1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 16
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 17
SECTION 1. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall be known 18
and may be cited as the "In-Person Early Voting Act." 19
SECTION 2. For purposes of this act, these words will have 20
the following meanings, unless their context clearly suggests 21
otherwise: 22
(a) "Election" means the period of time that is 23
available for casting a final vote. References to the time of an 24
election or the duration of the election shall encompass, unless 25
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the context clearly indicates otherwise, the fifteen-day period 26
that has been designed for in-person early voting. 27
(b) "Polling place" or "voting precinct" means any 28
place where a qualified elector votes during the in-person early 29
voting period and on the actual election day. 30
SECTION 3. (1) The in-person early voting period shall 31
begin on the Monday one (1) week prior to the date of each 32
primary, general, runoff, special and municipal election for 33
public office and continue until 5:00 p.m. on the Monday 34
immediately preceding the election day. Any qualified elector may 35
vote during the times established for in-person early voting in 36
this chapter only in the office of the registrar in which the 37
elector is registered to vote. No other or additional location 38
for in-person early voting is permitted. 39
(2) In-person early voting shall be conducted in the office 40
of the appropriate registrar during regular business hours. The 41
office of the registrar shall also be open for in-person early 42
voting from 8:00 a.m. to noon on the Saturday included in the week 43
of in-person early voting. The registrar's office shall not be 44
required to open on the Sunday included in the week provided for 45
in-person early voting. 46
(3) Notice of the in-person early voting hours shall be 47
given by the officials in charge of the election not less than 48
eight (8) days before the in-person early voting period begins. 49
Such notice shall be posted in three (3) public places within the 50
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county or municipality, with one (1) place being the county 51
courthouse in a county election or city hall in a municipal 52
election. 53
SECTION 4. (1) A qualified elector who desires to vote 54
during the in-person early voting period shall appear at the 55
office of the appropriate registrar in the county or municipality 56
in which the elector is a resident and registered to vote and 57
shall present an acceptable form of photo identification. Upon 58
verification of the proper location and identity, the elector 59
shall be marked in the Statewide Elections Management System as 60
"VOTED IPE," sign the appropriate receipt book and cast his or her 61
vote in the same manner that such vote would be cast on the day of 62
the election. Except as otherwise provided in Sections 1 through 63
5 of this act, the election laws that govern the procedures for a 64
person who appears to vote on the day of an election shall apply 65
when a person appears to vote during the in-person early voting 66
period. 67
(2) All votes cast during the in-person early voting period 68
shall be final. 69
(3) The votes cast during the in-person early voting period 70
shall be tabulated and announced simultaneously with all other 71
votes cast on election day after the polls close at 7:00 p.m., and 72
not before that time. 73
SECTION 5. Each political party, candidate or any 74
representative of a political party or candidate pursuant to 75
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Section 23-15-577 shall have the right to be present at the office 76
of the appropriate registrar when it is open for in-person early 77
voting and to challenge the qualifications of any person offering 78
to vote in the same manner as provided by law for challenging 79
qualifications at the polling place on election day. 80
SECTION 6. (1) The Secretary of State shall promulgate 81
rules and regulations necessary to effectuate in-person early 82
voting. 83
(2) The Secretary of State shall promulgate specific 84
instructions for the security and integrity of the voting systems 85
during the in-person early voting period. All voting systems used 86
under this section shall be maintained and locked in a secure 87
location at the registrar's office or building each day after the 88
close of in-person early voting hours. 89
SECTION 7. Section 23-15-625, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 90
amended as follows: 91
23-15-625. (1) The registrar shall be responsible for 92
providing applications for absentee voting as provided in this 93
section. At least sixty (60) days before any election in which 94
absentee voting is provided for by law, the registrar shall 95
provide a sufficient number of applications. In the event a 96
special election is called and set at a date which makes it 97
impractical or impossible to prepare applications for absent 98
elector's ballot sixty (60) days before the election, the 99
registrar shall provide applications as soon as practicable after 100
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the election is called. The registrar shall fill in the date of 101
the particular election on the application for which the 102
application will be used. For voters appearing in person to cast 103
an absentee vote, the application and elector certificate shall be 104
printed on the absentee ballot envelope as provided in Section 105
23-15-659. 106
(2) The registrar shall be authorized to disburse 107
applications for absentee ballots to any qualified elector within 108
the county where he or she serves. Any person who presents to the 109
registrar an oral or written request for an absentee ballot 110
application for a voter entitled to vote absentee by mail, other 111
than the elector who seeks to vote by absentee ballot, shall, in 112
the presence of the registrar, sign the application and print on 113
the application his or her name and address and the name of the 114
elector for whom the application is being requested in the place 115
provided for on the application for that purpose. However, if for 116
any reason such person is unable to write the information 117
required, then the registrar shall write the information on a 118
printed form which has been prescribed by the Secretary of State. 119
The form shall provide a place for such person to place his or her 120
mark after the form has been filled out by the registrar. 121
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit absentee 122
ballot applications or absentee ballots for persons staying in any 123
skilled nursing facility as defined in Section 41-7-173 unless the 124
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person soliciting the absentee ballot applications or absentee 125
ballots is: 126
(a) A family member of the person staying in the 127
skilled nursing facility; or 128
(b) A person designated by the person for whom the 129
absentee ballot application or absentee ballot is sought, the 130
registrar or the deputy registrar. 131
As used in this subsection, "family member" means a spouse, 132
parent, grandparent, sibling, adult child, grandchild or legal 133
guardian. 134
(4) The registrar in the county wherein a voter is qualified 135
to vote upon receiving by mail the envelope containing the 136
absentee ballots shall keep an accurate list of all persons 137
preparing such ballots. The list shall be kept in a conspicuous 138
place accessible to the public near the entrance to the 139
registrar's office. The registrar shall also furnish to 140
each * * * poll manager a list of the names of all persons in each 141
respective precinct voting absentee by mail and during in-person 142
early voting to be posted in a conspicuous place at the polling 143
place for public notice. The application on file with the 144
registrar and the envelopes containing the ballots that voters 145
mailed to the registrar shall be kept by the registrar in his or 146
her office in a secure location. At the time such boxes are 147
delivered to the election commissioners or poll managers, the 148
registrar shall also turn over a list of all such persons who have 149
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voted during in-person early voting and whose mailed ballots are 150
in the registrar's office. 151
(5) The registrar shall also be authorized to mail one (1) 152
application to any qualified elector of the county, who is 153
eligible to vote by absentee ballot, for use in a particular 154
election. 155
(6) The registrar shall process all applications for 156
absentee ballots by using the Statewide Election Management 157
System. The registrar shall account for all absentee ballots 158
delivered to and received by mail as well as those who voted 159
absentee in person from qualified voters by processing such 160
ballots using the Statewide Election Management System. 161
SECTION 8. Section 23-15-627, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 162
amended as follows: 163
23-15-627. (1) Any elector described in Section 23-15-713 164
may request an absentee ballot application and * * * have the 165
application and absentee ballot mailed to the elector. The 166
registrar shall be responsible for furnishing an absentee ballot 167
application form to any elector authorized to receive an absentee 168
ballot. Such form shall be printed on the absentee ballot 169
envelope as provided in Section 23-15-659. Except as otherwise 170
provided in Section 23-15-625, absentee ballot applications shall 171
be furnished to a person only upon the oral or written request of 172
the elector who seeks to vote by absentee ballot; however, the 173
parent, child, spouse, sibling, legal guardian, those empowered 174
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with a power of attorney for that elector's affairs or agent of 175
the elector, who is designated in writing and witnessed by a 176
resident of this state who shall write his or her physical address 177
on such designation, may orally request an absentee ballot 178
application on behalf of the elector. The written designation 179
shall be valid for one (1) year after the date of the designation. 180
An absentee ballot application must have the seal of the circuit 181
or municipal clerk affixed to it and be initialed by the registrar 182
or his or her deputy in order to be used to obtain an absentee 183
ballot. A reproduction of an absentee ballot application shall 184
not be valid unless it is a reproduction provided by the office of 185
the registrar of the jurisdiction in which the election is being 186
held and which contains the seal and initials required by this 187
section. 188
(2) Such application shall be substantially in the following 189
form for applications mailed to absentee electors: 190
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 191
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 192
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 193
the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from 194
the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in 195
person because (check appropriate reason): 196
( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 197
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 198
days of the coming presidential election. 199
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( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 200
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 201
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 202
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 203
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 204
such member. 205
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 206
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 207
such veteran. 208
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 209
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 210
Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 211
Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 212
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 213
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 214
District of Columbia. 215
* * * 216
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 217
outside of the county of my residence during the in-person early 218
voting period and on election day. 219
( ) I am an emergency response provider, deployed due to a 220
state of emergency declared by the President of the United States 221
or the governor of any state within the United States during the 222
time period provided by state law for in-person early voting and 223
election day. 224
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* * * 225
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 226
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 227
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 228
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 229
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 230
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 231
person on election day. 232
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 233
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 234
* * * 235
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 236
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 237
disenfranchising crime. 238
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 239
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 240
323 241
Mail 'Absent Elector's Ballot' to me at the following address 242
____________. 243
( ) I wish to receive an absentee ballot for the runoff 244
election ___________________________________________. 245
Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 246
the following: 247
Phone number: _____________________________ 248
Email address: ____________________________ 249
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Mailing address: __________________________ 250
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 251
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 252
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 253
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 254
sentence is to be in bold print.) 255
If you are temporarily or permanently disabled, you are not 256
required to have this application notarized or signed by an 257
official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting. 258
You are required to sign this application in the proper place and 259
have a person eighteen (18) years of age or older witness your 260
signature and sign this application in the proper place. 261
DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING. (This sentence is to be in bold 262
print.) 263
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 264
the ____ day of ______, 2___. 265
_________________________________ 266
(Signature of absent elector) 267
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me this the ____ day of _____, 268
2___. 269
_________________________________ 270
(Official authorized to administer oaths 271
for absentee balloting.) 272
TO BE SIGNED BY WITNESS FOR VOTERS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY 273
DISABLED: 274
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I HEREBY CERTIFY that this application for an absent 275
elector's ballot was signed by the above-named elector in my 276
presence and that I am at least eighteen (18) years of age, this 277
the _____ day of ____________________, 2___. 278
_________________________________ 279
(Signature of witness) 280
CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY 281
I hereby certify that _________________ (print name of voter) 282
has requested that I, __________________ (print name of person 283
delivering application), deliver to the voter this absentee ballot 284
application. 285
__________________________________________ 286
(Signature of person delivering application) 287
__________________________________________ 288
(Address of person delivering application)" 289
(3) The application printed on the front of the absentee 290
ballot envelope for absentee voters appearing before the registrar 291
shall be substantially in the following form: 292
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 293
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 294
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 295
the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from 296
the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in 297
person because (check appropriate reason): 298
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( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 299
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 300
days of the coming presidential election. 301
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 302
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 303
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 304
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 305
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 306
such member. 307
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 308
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 309
such veteran. 310
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 311
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 312
Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 313
Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 314
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 315
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 316
District of Columbia. 317
* * * 318
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 319
outside of the county of my residence during the in-person early 320
voting period and on election day. 321
( ) I am an emergency first response provider, deployed due 322
to a state of emergency declared by the President of the United 323
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States or the governor of any state within the United States 324
during the time period provided by law for in-person early voting 325
and election day. 326
* * * 327
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 328
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 329
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 330
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 331
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 332
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 333
person on election day. 334
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 335
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 336
* * * 337
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 338
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 339
disenfranchising crime. 340
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 341
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 342
Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 343
the following: 344
Phone number: _____________________________ 345
Email address: ____________________________ 346
Mailing address: __________________________ 347
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I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 348
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 349
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 350
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 351
sentence is to be in bold print.)" 352
SECTION 9. Section 23-15-631, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 353
amended as follows: 354
23-15-631. (1) The registrar shall enclose with each ballot 355
mailed to an absent elector separate printed instructions 356
furnished by the registrar containing the following: 357
* * * 358
( * * *a) Upon receipt of the enclosed ballot, you will 359
not mark the ballot except in view or sight of the attesting 360
witness. In the sight or view of the attesting witness, mark the 361
ballot according to instructions. 362
( * * *b) After marking the ballot, fill out and sign 363
the "ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE" in the box on the back of the envelope 364
so that the signature is across the flap of the envelope to ensure 365
the integrity of the ballot. All absent electors shall have the 366
attesting witness sign the "ATTESTING WITNESS CERTIFICATE" in the 367
box across the flap on the back of the envelope. A portion of the 368
elector's signature extending outside of the box shall not be 369
grounds for rejecting that elector's ballot. Place the necessary 370
postage on the envelope and deposit it in the post office or some 371
government receptacle provided for the deposit of mail so that the 372
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absent elector's ballot will be postmarked on or before the date 373
of the election and received by the registrar no more than five 374
(5) business days after the election. The ballot may only be 375
transmitted by the United States Postal Service or other common 376
carriers, including, but not limited to, United Parcel Service or 377
FedEx Corporation. 378
Any notary public, United States postmaster, assistant United 379
States postmaster, United States postal supervisor, clerk in 380
charge of a contract postal station, or other officer having 381
authority to administer an oath or take an acknowledgment may be 382
an attesting witness; provided, however, that in the case of an 383
absent elector who is temporarily or permanently physically 384
disabled, the attesting witness may be any person eighteen (18) 385
years of age or older and such person is not required to have the 386
authority to administer an oath. If a postmaster, assistant 387
postmaster, postal supervisor, or clerk in charge of a contract 388
postal station acts as an attesting witness, his or her signature 389
in a box on the elector's certificate must be authenticated by the 390
cancellation stamp of their respective post offices. If an 391
officer having authority to administer an oath or take an 392
acknowledgment acts as an attesting witness, his or her signature 393
in a box on the elector's certificate, together with his or her 394
title and address, but no seal, shall be required. A portion of 395
the elector's signature extending outside of the box shall not be 396
grounds for rejecting that elector's ballot. Any affidavits made 397
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by an absent elector who is in the Armed Forces may be executed 398
before a commissioned officer, warrant officer, or noncommissioned 399
officer not lower in grade than sergeant rating or any person 400
authorized to administer oaths. 401
( * * *c) When the application accompanies the ballot 402
it shall not be returned in the same envelope as the ballot but 403
shall be returned in a separate pre-addressed envelope provided by 404
the registrar. 405
( * * *d) A candidate for public office, or the spouse, 406
parent or child of a candidate for public office, may not be an 407
attesting witness for any absentee ballot upon which the 408
candidate's name appears, unless the voter is related within the 409
first degree to the candidate or the spouse, parent or child of 410
the candidate. 411
( * * *e) Any voter casting an absentee ballot who 412
declares that he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of 413
blindness, temporary or permanent physical disability or inability 414
to read or write, shall be entitled to receive assistance in the 415
marking of his or her absentee ballot and in completing the 416
affidavit on the absentee ballot envelope. The voter may be given 417
assistance by anyone of the voter's choice other than a candidate 418
whose name appears on the absentee ballot being marked, the 419
spouse, parent or child of a candidate whose name appears on the 420
absentee ballot being marked or the voter's employer, an agent of 421
that employer or a union representative; however, a candidate 422
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whose name is on the ballot or the spouse, parent or child of such 423
candidate may provide assistance upon request to any voter who is 424
related within the first degree. In order to ensure the integrity 425
of the ballot, any person who provides assistance to an absentee 426
voter shall be required to sign and complete the "Certificate of 427
Person Providing Voter Assistance" on the absentee ballot 428
envelope. 429
(2) The foregoing instructions required to be provided by 430
the registrar to the elector shall also constitute the substantive 431
law pertaining to the handling of absentee ballots by the elector 432
and registrar. 433
(3) The Secretary of State shall prepare instructions on how 434
absent voters may comply with the identification requirements of 435
Section 23-15-563. 436
SECTION 10. Section 23-15-637, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 437
amended as follows: 438
23-15-637. (1) * * * Absentee ballots and applications 439
received by mail, except for fax or electronically transmitted 440
ballots as otherwise provided by Section 23-15-699 for UOCAVA 441
ballots, or common carrier, such as United Parcel Service or FedEx 442
Corporation, must be * * * received by the registrar no more than 443
five (5) business days after the election; any received after such 444
time shall be handled as provided in Section 23-15-647 and shall 445
not be counted. 446
* * * 447
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(2) The registrar shall deposit all absentee ballots which 448
have been timely cast and received by mail in a secured and sealed 449
box in a designated location in the registrar's office upon 450
receipt. The registrar shall not send any absentee ballots to the 451
precinct polling locations. 452
(3) The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and 453
regulations necessary to ensure that when a qualified elector who 454
is qualified to vote absentee votes by absentee mail-in 455
ballot, * * * that person's absentee vote is final and he or she 456
may not vote at the polling place on election day. 457
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the 458
Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and regulations 459
necessary to ensure that absentee ballots shall remain in the 460
registrar's office for counting and not be taken to the precincts 461
on election day. 462
SECTION 11. Section 23-15-713, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 463
amended as follows: 464
23-15-713. For the purpose of this subarticle, any duly 465
qualified elector may vote as provided in this subarticle if the 466
elector falls within at least one (1) of the following categories: 467
* * * 468
( * * *a) Any qualified elector who is required to be 469
away from his or her place of residence on any election day due to 470
his or her employment as an employee of a member of the 471
Mississippi congressional delegation and the spouse and dependents 472
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of such person if he or she shall be residing with such absentee 473
voter away from the county of the spouse's voting residence. 474
* * * 475
( * * *b) Any person who has a temporary or permanent 476
physical disability and who, because of such disability, is unable 477
to vote in person without substantial hardship to himself, herself 478
or others, or whose attendance at the voting place could 479
reasonably cause danger to himself, herself or others. 480
( * * *c) The parent, spouse or dependent of a person 481
with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is 482
hospitalized outside of his or her county of residence or more 483
than fifty (50) miles distant from his or her residence, if the 484
parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election 485
day. 486
( * * *d) Any person who is sixty-five (65) years of 487
age or older. 488
( * * *e) Any member of the Mississippi congressional 489
delegation absent from Mississippi on election day, and the spouse 490
and dependents of such member of the congressional delegation. 491
( * * *f) Any qualified elector who * * * is 492
temporarily residing outside of his or her county of residence 493
during the in-person early voting period and on election day 494
during the times when the polls will be open. 495
(g) Any emergency response provider, deployed due to a 496
state of emergency declared by the President of the United States 497
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or the governor of any state within the United States during the 498
time period provided by state law for in-person early voting and 499
election day. 500
( * * *h) Any qualified elector who is incarcerated in 501
prison or jail in the county where he or she is registered to vote 502
and has not been convicted of a disenfranchising crime. 503
SECTION 12. Section 23-15-715, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 504
amended as follows: 505
23-15-715. Any elector described in Section 23-15-713 and 506
desiring an absentee ballot as provided in this subarticle may 507
secure same if * * * within forty-five (45) days * * * before any 508
election, but not less than seven (7) days before the election, 509
such elector applies for an absentee ballot as provided in the 510
provisions of this act. * * * All applications, other than those 511
of persons having a temporary or permanent physical disability, 512
shall * * * be sworn to and subscribed before an official who is 513
authorized to administer oaths or another official authorized to 514
witness absentee balloting as provided in this chapter. The 515
applications of persons having a temporary or permanent physical 516
disability are not required to be accompanied by an affidavit but 517
shall be witnessed and signed by a person eighteen (18) years of 518
age or older. The registrar shall send to such absent voter a 519
proper absentee voter ballot within twenty-four (24) hours, or as 520
soon thereafter as the ballots are available, containing the names 521
of all candidates who qualify or the proposition to be voted on in 522
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such election, and with such ballot there shall be sent an 523
official envelope containing upon it in printed form the recitals 524
and data hereinafter required. 525
* * * Except when the voter has requested a runoff ballot on the 526
initial absentee ballot application, upon request for a runoff 527
ballot pursuant to Section 23-15-719, the registrar shall mail 528
together the absentee ballot application and the absentee ballot 529
to the absent voter for the runoff election. 530
SECTION 13. Section 23-15-719, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 531
amended as follows: 532
23-15-719. (1) Except where the registrar has already 533
mailed a ballot with an application, upon receipt of a properly 534
completed application form by an elector qualified to vote 535
absentee as provided in this article, the registrar shall mail the 536
absent voter an absentee ballot within one (1) business day, or as 537
soon as the absentee ballot is prepared and available, containing 538
the names of all the candidates and propositions, if any, to be 539
voted on in the election. The registrar shall include with the 540
absentee ballot an official envelope that complies with the 541
provisions of Section 23-15-635, as well as information to comply 542
with Section 23-15-641(3) related to the status of the elector's 543
ballot. 544
(2) When an absentee voter appears before the registrar to 545
vote, the registrar shall identify the applicant by requiring him 546
or her to present identification as required by Section 23-15-563, 547
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and shall then deliver the ballot to the applicant in the 548
registrar's office. After the applicant has properly marked the 549
ballot and properly folded it, he or she shall deposit it in the 550
envelope furnished to him or her by the registrar. 551
After the absentee voter has sealed the envelope as provided 552
in Section 23-15-635, he or she shall ensure the absentee 553
application on the front of the envelope is complete and shall 554
subscribe and swear to an affidavit. The affidavit shall be in 555
the following form, which shall be printed on the back of the 556
envelope containing the applicant's ballot: 557
"STATE OF MISSISSIPPI 558
COUNTY OF ___________ 559
I, __________, do solemnly swear that this envelope contains 560
the ballot marked by me indicating my choice of the candidates or 561
propositions to be submitted at the election to be held on the ___ 562
day of __________, 2___, and I hereby authorize the registrar to 563
place this envelope in the ballot box on my behalf, and I further 564
authorize the resolution board to open this envelope and place my 565
ballot among the other ballots cast before such ballots are 566
counted, and record my name on the poll list as if I were present 567
in person and voted. 568
I further swear that I marked the enclosed ballot in secret. 569
_______________________ 570
(Signature of voter) 571
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SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me, __________, this the ___ 572
day of __________, 2___. 573
(Registrar) _______________________ 574
(Registrar)" 575
After the completion of the requirements of this section, the 576
elector shall deliver the envelope containing the ballot to the 577
registrar. 578
(3) If the voter has received assistance in marking his or 579
her ballot, the person providing the assistance shall complete the 580
following form which shall be printed on the back of the envelope 581
containing the applicant's ballot: 582
"CERTIFICATE OF PERSON PROVIDING VOTER ASSISTANCE 583
(To be completed only if the voter has received assistance in 584
marking the enclosed ballot.) I hereby certify that the 585
above-named voter declared to me that he or she is blind, 586
temporarily or permanently physically disabled, or cannot read or 587
write, and that the voter requested that I assist the voter in 588
marking the enclosed absentee ballot. I hereby certify that the 589
ballot preferences on the enclosed ballot are those communicated 590
by the voter to me, and that I have marked the enclosed ballot in 591
accordance with the voter's instructions. 592
___________________________________________ 593
Signature of person providing assistance 594
___________________________________________ 595
Printed name of person providing assistance 596
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ST: In-person early voting; allow one week
before election.
___________________________________________ 597
Address of person providing assistance 598
___________________________________________ 599
Date and time assistance provided 600
___________________________________________ 601
Family relationship to voter (if any)" 602
(4) The envelope used pursuant to this section shall not 603
contain the form prescribed by Section 23-15-635 and shall have 604
printed on the flap on the back of the envelope in bold print and 605
in a distinguishing color, the following: "YOUR VOTE WILL BE 606
REJECTED AND NOT COUNTED IF THIS ENVELOPE IS NOT SIGNED BY YOU AND 607
AN ATTESTING WITNESS IN THE BOXES ACROSS THE FLAP OF THIS 608
ENVELOPE." 609
A portion of the voter's signature extending outside of the 610
box shall not be grounds for rejecting that voter's ballot. 611
(5) The registrar shall not personally hand deliver ballots 612
to voters, except to those who personally appear in the 613
registrar's office to absentee vote. 614
(6) Ballots requested under Section 23-15-713(f) shall be 615
mailed to the voter's address outside of the county in which he or 616
she is registered. 617
SECTION 14. This act shall take effect and be in force from 618
and after January 1, 2026. 619