Elections; authorize online voter registration and preelection day voting.

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To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blount

SENATE BILL NO. 2094

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-49, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO AUTHORIZE QUALIFIED ELECTORS TO SUBMIT VOTER REGISTRATION 2
APPLICATIONS THROUGH A SECURE INTERNET WEBSITE ESTABLISHED BY THE 3
SECRETARY OF STATE; TO ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURE BY WHICH THE COUNTY 4
REGISTRAR SHALL PROCESS ONLINE APPLICATIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 5
23-15-35, 23-15-37, 23-15-39, 23-15-41 AND 23-15-79, MISSISSIPPI 6
CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; TO AUTHORIZE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO VOTE 7
NOT MORE THAN 21 DAYS NOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF AN 8
ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT PREELECTION VOTING MAY BE CONDUCTED IN 9
THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE; TO REQUIRE A PERSON WHO DESIRES TO VOTE 10
DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD TO APPEAR AT THE 11
REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER SIGNING THE RECEIPT 12
BOOK, SUCH PERSON SHALL BE ENTITLED TO VOTE AT THE REGISTRAR'S 13
OFFICE IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE OR SHE WOULD AT HIS OR HER VOTING 14
PRECINCT ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ELECTION 15
LAWS THAT GOVERN PROCEDURES FOR A PERSON WHO APPEARS TO VOTE ON 16
THE DAY OF ELECTION SHALL APPLY WHEN A PERSON APPEARS TO VOTE 17
DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL 18
VOTES CAST DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD SHALL BE 19
FINAL; TO PROVIDE THAT THE VOTES CAST DURING THE PREELECTION DAY 20
VOTING PERIOD SHALL BE ANNOUNCED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE VOTES 21
CAST ON ELECTION DAY; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE 22
THE RIGHT TO BE PRESENT AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND TO CHALLENGE 23
THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ANY PERSON OFFERING TO PREELECTION VOTE IN 24
THE SAME MANNER AS PROVIDED BY LAW AT THE POLLING PLACE ON THE DAY 25
OF THE ELECTION; TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO PROMULGATE 26
RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE PREELECTION DAY 27
VOTING; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-195, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN 28
CONFORMITY THERETO; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-627, MISSISSIPPI CODE 29
OF 1972, TO REVISE THE CATEGORIES OF VOTERS WHO MAY CAST AN 30
ABSENTEE BALLOT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-637, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 31
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 32
REGISTRAR BY A CERTAIN TIME ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION; AND 33
FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 34
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 35
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-49, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 36
amended as follows: 37
23-15-49. (1) (a) The Secretary of State shall, with the 38
support of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, establish 39
a secure internet website to permit: 40
(i) Qualified electors as described in subsection 41
(3) of this section to register to vote by online application; and 42
(ii) Registered electors to change their name, 43
address or other information set forth in the elector's existing 44
voter registration record. 45
(b) Upon the request of an elector through the secure 46
website, the software used by the Secretary of State for 47
processing applications through the website shall provide for 48
verification that: 49
(i) The elector has a current and valid 50
Mississippi driver's license or photo identification card issued 51
by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the number for 52
that driver's license or photo identification card provided by the 53
applicant matches the number for the elector's driver's license or 54
photo identification card that is on file with the Mississippi 55
Department of Public Safety; 56
(ii) The name and date of birth provided by the 57
voter matches the name and date of birth that is on file with the 58
Mississippi Department of Public Safety; and 59
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(iii) The information provided by the elector 60
matches the information on file with the Mississippi Department of 61
Public Safety. 62
* * * 63
( * * *2) The Secretary of State and the Department of 64
Public Safety shall enter into a memorandum of understanding 65
providing for the sharing of information required to facilitate 66
the requirements of this section. 67
(3) A person may register to vote by online application 68
using the procedures set forth in this section if the person: 69
(a) Is qualified to register to vote in the State of 70
Mississippi; and 71
(b) Has a current and valid Mississippi driver's 72
license or photo identification card issued by the Mississippi 73
Department of Public Safety. 74
(4) The following procedure shall be used in the 75
registration of electors by online application: 76
(a) A qualified elector may register to vote by 77
submitting a completed online registration application to the 78
secure website established in subsection (1) of this section 79
thirty (30) days before any election. However, if the thirtieth 80
day to register before an election falls on a Sunday or legal 81
holiday, the registration applications submitted on the business 82
day immediately following the Sunday or legal holiday shall be 83
accepted and entered into the Statewide Elections Management 84
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System for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next 85
election. The date the completed application is submitted to the 86
secure website shall be the applicant's date of registration. 87
(b) Any online voter registration application shall be 88
reviewed by the county registrar of the elector's county of 89
residence. Within fourteen (14) days of receipt, the county 90
registrar shall complete action on the application, including any 91
attempts to notify the applicant of the status of his or her 92
application. 93
(c) If the county registrar determines that the 94
applicant is qualified and his or her application is complete, the 95
county registrar shall mail the applicant written notification 96
that the application has been approved, specifying the county 97
voting precinct, municipal voting precinct, if any, polling place 98
and supervisor district in which the person shall vote. This 99
written notification of approval containing the specified 100
information shall be the voter's registration card. The 101
registration card shall be provided by the county registrar to the 102
applicant in accordance with Section 23-15-39. Upon entry of the 103
voter registration information into the Statewide Elections 104
Management System, the system shall assign a voter registration 105
number to the applicant. The assigned voter registration number 106
shall be clearly shown on the written notification of approval. 107
In mailing the written notification, the county registrar shall 108
note the following on the envelope: "DO NOT FORWARD". If any 109
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registration notification form is returned as undeliverable, the 110
voter's registration shall be void. 111
(d) An online application shall be rejected for any of 112
the following reasons: 113
(i) An incomplete portion of the application makes 114
it impossible for the registrar to determine the eligibility of 115
the applicant to register; 116
(ii) The county registrar is unable to determine, 117
from the address and information provided on the application, the 118
precinct in which the voter should be assigned or the supervisor's 119
district in which he or she is entitled to vote; 120
(iii) The person is not qualified to register to 121
vote under Section 23-15-11; 122
(iv) The online registration software is unable to 123
verify the person's application in the manner provided in 124
subsection (1)(b) of this section; 125
(v) The county registrar determines that the 126
applicant is already registered as a qualified elector of the 127
county. 128
(e) If the online application of a person is subject to 129
rejection for any of the reasons set forth in paragraphs (d)(i) 130
through (iv) of this subsection, the county registrar shall 131
provide the written notice described in this paragraph within 132
fourteen (14) days of receiving the application. The county 133
registrar shall give the applicant written notice of the rejection 134
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and provide the reason for the rejection. The county registrar 135
shall further inform the applicant that he or she has a right to 136
attempt to register by appearing in person, by filing a mail-in 137
application or by filing another online application. 138
(f) If an online application is subject to rejection 139
for the reason stated in paragraph (d)(v) of this subsection and 140
the "present home address" portion of the application is different 141
from the residence address for the applicant found in the 142
Statewide Elections Management System, the online application 143
shall be deemed a written request to update the voter's 144
registration under Section 23-15-13. The county registrar or the 145
election commissioners shall update the voter's residence address 146
in the Statewide Elections Management System and, if necessary, 147
advise the voter of a change in the location of his or her county 148
or municipal polling place by mailing the voter a new voter 149
registration card. If the "present home address" portion of the 150
application does not match the address on file with the 151
Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the request to update the 152
voter's registration information shall be rejected. 153
(5) If the applicant indicates on the application that he or 154
she resides within the city limits of a city or town in the county 155
of registration, the county registrar shall enter the information 156
into the Statewide Elections Management System. 157
(6) If the voter indicates on the application that he or she 158
has previously registered to vote in another county of this state 159
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or another state, notice to the voter's previous county of 160
registration in this state shall be provided through the Statewide 161
Elections Management System. If the voter's previous place of 162
registration was in another state, notice shall be provided to the 163
voter's previous state of residence. 164
(7) The instructions and the form of the online voter 165
application shall be established by rule duly adopted by the 166
Secretary of State. 167
(8) Any person who attempts to register to vote online or 168
who attempts to change registration information under this section 169
shall be subject to the penalties for false registration provided 170
for in Section 23-15-17. 171
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 172
amended as follows: 173
23-15-35. (1) The clerk of the municipality shall be the 174
registrar of voters of the municipality, and shall take the oath 175
of office prescribed by Section 268 of the Constitution. The 176
municipal registration shall conform to the county registration 177
which shall be a part of the official record of registered voters 178
as contained in the Statewide Elections Management System. The 179
municipal clerk shall comply with all the provisions of law 180
regarding the registration of voters, including the use of the 181
voter registration applications used by county registrars and 182
prescribed by the Secretary of State under Sections 183
23-15-39 * * *, 23-15-47 and 23-15-49. 184
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(2) The municipal clerk shall be authorized to register 185
applicants as county electors. The municipal clerk shall forward 186
notice of registration, a copy of the application for 187
registration, and any changes to the registration when they occur, 188
either by certified mail to the county registrar or by personal 189
delivery to the county registrar provided that a numbered receipt 190
is signed by the county registrar in return for the described 191
documents. Upon receipt of the copy of the application for 192
registration or changes to the registration, and if a review of 193
the application indicates that the applicant meets all the 194
criteria necessary to qualify as a county elector, then the county 195
registrar shall make a determination of the county voting precinct 196
in which the person making the application shall be required to 197
vote. The county registrar shall send this county voting precinct 198
information by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid, to 199
the person at the address provided on the application. Any 200
mailing costs incurred by the municipal clerk or the county 201
registrar in effectuating this subsection (2) shall be paid by the 202
county board of supervisors. If a review of the copy of the 203
application for registration or changes to the registration 204
indicates that the applicant is not qualified to vote in the 205
county, the county registrar shall challenge the application. The 206
county election commissioners shall review any challenge or 207
disqualification, after having notified the applicant by certified 208
mail of the challenge or disqualification. 209
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(3) The municipal clerk shall issue to the person making the 210
application a copy of the application and the county registrar 211
shall process the application in accordance with the law regarding 212
the handling of voter registration applications. 213
(4) The receipt of a copy of the application for 214
registration sent pursuant to Section 23-15-39(3) shall be 215
sufficient to allow the applicant to be registered as an elector 216
in the municipality, provided that such application is not 217
challenged as provided for therein. 218
(5) The municipal clerk of each municipality shall provide 219
the county registrar in which the municipality is located the 220
information necessary to conform the municipal registration to the 221
county registration which shall be a part of the official record 222
of registered voters as contained in the Statewide Elections 223
Management System. If any changes to the information occur as a 224
result of redistricting, annexation or other reason, it shall be 225
the responsibility of the municipal clerk to timely provide the 226
changes to the county registrar. The location of a polling place 227
shall not be altered within sixty (60) days of any primary, 228
general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances 229
exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent 230
circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be altered 231
within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for 232
making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their 233
next scheduled meeting. When the location of a polling place is 234
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altered within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of 235
the change shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the 236
registrar's office, the previous polling place location if it is a 237
public building, and for three (3) consecutive weeks, or each week 238
before the election if the alteration happens within three (3) 239
weeks of the election, in a newspaper that is circulated in the 240
area. 241
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 242
amended as follows: 243
23-15-37. (1) The registrar shall register the electors of 244
his or her county at any time during regular office hours. 245
(2) The county registrar may keep his or her office open to 246
register voters from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., including the noon 247
hour, for the five (5) business days immediately preceding the 248
thirtieth day before any regularly scheduled primary or general 249
election. The county registrar shall also keep his or her office 250
open from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on the Saturday immediately 251
preceding the thirtieth day before any regularly scheduled primary 252
or general election, unless that Saturday falls on a legal 253
holiday, in which case registration applications submitted on the 254
Monday immediately following the legal holiday shall be accepted 255
and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System for the 256
purpose of enabling such voters to vote in the next primary or 257
general election. 258
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(3) The registrar, or any deputy registrar duly appointed by 259
law, may visit and spend such time as he or she may deem necessary 260
at any location in his or her county, selected by the registrar 261
not less than thirty (30) days before an election, for the purpose 262
of registering voters. 263
(4) A person who is physically disabled and unable to visit 264
the office of the registrar to register to vote due to such 265
disability may contact the registrar and request that the 266
registrar or the registrar's deputy visit him or her for the 267
purpose of registering such person to vote. The registrar or the 268
registrar's deputy shall visit that person as soon as possible 269
after such request and provide the person with an application for 270
registration, if necessary. The completed application for 271
registration shall be executed in the presence of the registrar or 272
the registrar's deputy. 273
(5) (a) In the fall and spring of each year the registrar 274
of each county shall furnish all public schools with mail-in voter 275
registration applications and instructions for submitting online 276
voter registration applications. The applications and 277
instructions shall be provided in a reasonable time to enable 278
those students who will be eighteen (18) years of age before a 279
general election to be able to vote in the primary and general 280
elections. 281
(b) Each public school district shall permit access to 282
all public schools of this state for the county registrar or the 283
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county registrar's deputy to register persons who are eligible to 284
vote and to provide voter education. 285
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-39, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 286
amended as follows: 287
23-15-39. (1) Applications for registration as electors of 288
this state, which are sworn to and subscribed before the registrar 289
or deputy registrar authorized by law and which are not made by 290
mail, shall be made upon a form established by rule duly adopted 291
by the Secretary of State. 292
(2) The boards of supervisors shall make proper allowances 293
for office supplies reasonably necessitated by the registration of 294
county electors. 295
(3) If the applicant indicates on the application that he or 296
she resides within the city limits of a city or town in the county 297
of registration, the county registrar shall process the 298
application for registration or changes to the registration as 299
provided by law. 300
(4) If the applicant indicates on the application that he or 301
she has previously registered to vote in another county of this 302
state or another state, notice to the voter's previous county of 303
registration in this state shall be provided by the Statewide 304
Elections Management System. If the voter's previous place of 305
registration was in another state, notice shall be provided to the 306
voter's previous state of residence if the Statewide Elections 307
Management System has that capability. 308
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(5) The county registrar shall provide to the person making 309
the application a copy of the application upon which has been 310
written the county voting precinct and municipal voting precinct, 311
if any, in which the person shall vote. Upon entry of the voter 312
registration information into the Statewide Elections Management 313
System, the system shall assign a voter registration number to the 314
person, and the county registrar shall mail the applicant a voter 315
registration card to the mailing address provided on the 316
application. 317
(6) Any person desiring an application for registration may 318
secure an application from the registrar of the county of which he 319
or she is a resident and may take the application with him or her 320
and secure assistance in completing the application from any 321
person of the applicant's choice. It shall be the duty of all 322
registrars to furnish applications for registration to all persons 323
requesting them, and it shall likewise be the registrar's duty to 324
furnish aid and assistance in the completing of the application 325
when requested by an applicant. Unless the application for 326
registration is submitted online as described in Section 23-15-49, 327
the application for registration shall be sworn to and subscribed 328
before the registrar or deputy registrar at the municipal clerk's 329
office, the county registrar's office or any other location where 330
the applicant is allowed to register to vote. The registrar shall 331
not charge a fee or cost to the applicant for accepting the 332
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application or administering the oath or for any other duty 333
imposed by law regarding the registration of electors. 334
(7) If the person making the application is unable to read 335
or write, for reason of disability or otherwise, he or she shall 336
not be required to personally complete the application in writing 337
and execute the oath. In such cases, the registrar or deputy 338
registrar shall read the application and oath to the person and 339
the person's answers thereto shall be recorded by the registrar or 340
the registrar's deputy. The person shall be registered as an 341
elector if he or she otherwise meets the requirements to be 342
registered as an elector. The registrar shall record the 343
responses of the person and the recorded responses shall be 344
retained permanently by the registrar. The county registrar shall 345
enter the voter registration information into the Statewide 346
Elections Management System and designate the entry as an assisted 347
filing. 348
(8) The receipt of a copy of the application for 349
registration sent pursuant to Section 23-15-35(2) shall be 350
sufficient to allow the applicant to be registered as an elector 351
of this state, if the application is not challenged. 352
(9) In any case in which the corporate boundaries of a 353
municipality change, whether by annexation or redistricting, the 354
municipal clerk shall, within ten (10) days after approval of the 355
change in corporate boundaries, provide to the county registrar 356
conforming geographic data that is compatible with the Statewide 357
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Elections Management System. The data shall be developed by the 358
municipality's use of a standardized format specified by the 359
Statewide Elections Management System. The county registrar, 360
county election commissioner or other county official, who has 361
completed an annual training seminar sponsored by the Secretary of 362
State pertaining to the implementation of new boundary lines in 363
the Statewide Elections Management System and received 364
certification for that training, shall update the municipal 365
boundary information into the Statewide Elections Management 366
System. The Statewide Elections Management System updates the 367
municipal voter registration records and assigns electors to their 368
municipal voting precincts. The county registrar shall forward to 369
the municipal clerk written notification of the additions and 370
changes, and the municipal clerk shall forward to the affected 371
municipal electors written notification of the additions and 372
changes. 373
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 374
amended as follows: 375
23-15-41. (1) When an applicant to register to vote has 376
completed the application form as prescribed by administrative 377
rule, the county registrar shall enter the applicant's information 378
into the Statewide Elections Management System where the 379
applicant's status will be marked as "ACTIVE," "PENDING" or 380
"REJECTED," and the applicant shall be entitled to register * * * 381
when his or her request for registration is made in person to the 382
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registrar, or deputy registrar if a deputy registrar has been 383
appointed or is submitted online as provided in Section 23-15-49. 384
No person other than the registrar, or a deputy registrar, shall 385
register any applicant. 386
(2) If an applicant is not qualified to register to vote, 387
then the registrar shall enter the applicant's information into 388
the Statewide Elections Management System and mark the applicant's 389
status as "PENDING" or "REJECTED," with the specific reason or 390
reasons for that status noted. The registrar shall notify the 391
election commission of those applicants rejected. 392
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-79, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 393
amended as follows: 394
23-15-79. (1) Unless the application for registration was 395
made pursuant to Section 23-15-47 or Section 23-15-49, the date of 396
registration to vote shall be the date the application for 397
registration to vote was initially received by the registrar or, 398
if submitted by mail, the postmark date, regardless of the date on 399
which the county election commission, circuit court or Supreme 400
Court, as the case may be, makes its final determination allowing 401
the registration. 402
(2) In the case of an application for registration that has 403
been made pursuant to Section 23-15-47, the date of registration 404
to vote shall be the date the complete and legible application 405
form is received by the county registrar, or, if mailed, the 406
postmark date of the complete and legible application. 407
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(3) In the case of an application for registration that has 408
been made pursuant to Section 23-15-49, the date of registration 409
to vote shall be the date the complete application is submitted to 410
the secure internet website described in Section 23-15-49. 411
SECTION 7. Sections 7 through 11 of this act shall be known 412
and may be cited as the "Preelection Day Voting Act." 413
SECTION 8. (1) The preelection day voting period shall 414
begin twenty-one (21) days before the date of each election and 415
end at 12:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately before election day. 416
Any qualified elector may vote in the registrar's office in the 417
county in which the elector is registered to vote during the times 418
established for preelection day voting in this section. 419
(2) Preelection day voting shall be conducted in the office 420
of the registrar during weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. 421
During the last full week before an election, the office of the 422
register may remain open for preelection voting on weekdays during 423
the lunch hour and from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The governing 424
authorities of the county may designate additional locations as 425
preelection day voting centers for the voting period. 426
SECTION 9. (1) An elector who desires to vote early shall 427
appear at the office of the registrar in the county in which he or 428
she is registered to vote and shall present an acceptable form of 429
photo identification. After signing the appropriate receipt book, 430
the elector shall cast his or her ballot in the same manner as he 431
or she would at his or her voting precinct on the day of the 432
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election. Except as may be otherwise provided by Sections 7 433
through 11 of this act, the election laws that govern procedures 434
for a person who appears to vote on the day of election shall 435
apply when a person appears to vote during the preelection day 436
voting period. 437
(2) All votes cast at a preelection day voting location 438
shall be final. 439
(3) The votes cast during preelection voting shall be 440
announced simultaneously with the votes cast on election day. 441
SECTION 10. Each candidate or his or her representatives 442
shall have the right to be present at the office of the registrar 443
when it is open for preelection day voting and to challenge the 444
qualifications of any person offering to vote in the same manner 445
as provided by law at the polling place on election day. 446
SECTION 11. The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules 447
and regulations necessary to effectuate preelection day voting. 448
SECTION 12. Section 23-15-195, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 449
amended as follows: 450
23-15-195. All elections by the people shall be by 451
ballot * * *. 452
SECTION 13. Section 23-15-627, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 453
amended as follows: 454
23-15-627. (1) Any elector described in Section 23-15-713 455
may request an absentee ballot application and vote in person at 456
the office of the registrar in the county in which he or she 457
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resides. The registrar shall be responsible for furnishing an 458
absentee ballot application form to any elector authorized to 459
receive an absentee ballot. Such form shall be printed on the 460
absentee ballot envelope as provided in Section 23-15-659. Except 461
as otherwise provided in Section 23-15-625, absentee ballot 462
applications shall be furnished to a person only upon the oral or 463
written request of the elector who seeks to vote by absentee 464
ballot; however, the parent, child, spouse, sibling, legal 465
guardian, those empowered with a power of attorney for that 466
elector's affairs or agent of the elector, who is designated in 467
writing and witnessed by a resident of this state who shall write 468
his or her physical address on such designation, may orally 469
request an absentee ballot application on behalf of the elector. 470
The written designation shall be valid for one (1) year after the 471
date of the designation. An absentee ballot application must have 472
the seal of the circuit or municipal clerk affixed to it and be 473
initialed by the registrar or his or her deputy in order to be 474
used to obtain an absentee ballot. A reproduction of an absentee 475
ballot application shall not be valid unless it is a reproduction 476
provided by the office of the registrar of the jurisdiction in 477
which the election is being held and which contains the seal and 478
initials required by this section. 479
(2) Such application shall be substantially in the following 480
form for applications mailed to absentee electors: 481
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 482
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I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 483
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 484
the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be * * * 485
unable to vote in person because (check appropriate reason): 486
( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 487
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 488
days of the coming presidential election. 489
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 490
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 491
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 492
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 493
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of 494
such member. 495
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 496
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent 497
of such veteran. 498
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 499
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 500
Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 501
Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 502
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 503
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 504
District of Columbia. 505
* * * 506
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( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 507
outside the county of my residence, or spouse or dependent of such 508
citizen. 509
( ) I am a trained or certified emergency response provider 510
who is deployed during the time period authorized by law for 511
absentee voting on election day, or during any state emergency 512
declared by the President of the United States or any governor of 513
any state within the United States, or spouse or dependent of such 514
emergency response provider. 515
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 516
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 517
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 518
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 519
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 520
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 521
person on election day. 522
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 523
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 524
( ) I am required to be at work on election day during the 525
times when the polls will be open or I am required to be on-call 526
on election day during the times when the polls will be open. 527
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 528
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 529
disenfranchising crime. 530
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I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 531
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 532
Mail 'Absent Elector's Ballot' to me at the following address 533
____________. 534
( ) I wish to receive an absentee ballot for the runoff 535
election ___________________________________________. 536
Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 537
the following: 538
Phone number: _____________________________ 539
Email address: ____________________________ 540
Mailing address: __________________________ 541
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 542
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 543
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 544
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 545
sentence is to be in bold print.) 546
If you are temporarily or permanently disabled, you are not 547
required to have this application notarized or signed by an 548
official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting. 549
You are required to sign this application in the proper place and 550
have a person eighteen (18) years of age or older witness your 551
signature and sign this application in the proper place. 552
DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING. (This sentence is to be in bold 553
print.) 554
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 555
the ____ day of ______, 2___. 556
_________________________________ 557
(Signature of absent elector) 558
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me this the ____ day of _____, 559
2___. 560
_________________________________ 561
(Official authorized to administer oaths 562
for absentee balloting.) 563
TO BE SIGNED BY WITNESS FOR VOTERS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY 564
DISABLED: 565
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this application for an absent 566
elector's ballot was signed by the above-named elector in my 567
presence and that I am at least eighteen (18) years of age, this 568
the _____ day of ____________________, 2___. 569
_________________________________ 570
(Signature of witness) 571
CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY 572
I hereby certify that _________________ (print name of voter) 573
has requested that I, __________________ (print name of person 574
delivering application), deliver to the voter this absentee ballot 575
application. 576
__________________________________________ 577
(Signature of person delivering application) 578
__________________________________________ 579
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(Address of person delivering application)" 580
(3) The application printed on the front of the absentee 581
ballot envelope for absentee voters appearing before the registrar 582
shall be substantially in the following form: 583
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT 584
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct 585
of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within 586
the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from 587
the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in 588
person because (check appropriate reason): 589
( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a 590
resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) 591
days of the coming presidential election. 592
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, 593
of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a 594
citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member. 595
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red 596
Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of 597
such member. 598
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any 599
hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent 600
of such veteran. 601
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the 602
United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the 603
S. B. No. 2094 *SS08/R142* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of 604
Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such civilian. 605
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 606
outside the territorial limits of the United States and the 607
District of Columbia. 608
* * * 609
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing 610
outside the county of my residence, or spouse or dependent of such 611
citizen. 612
( ) I am a trained or certified emergency response provider 613
who is deployed during the time period authorized by law for 614
absentee voting on election day, or during any state emergency 615
declared by the President of the United States or any governor of 616
any state within the United States, or spouse or dependent of such 617
emergency response provider. 618
( ) I have a temporary or permanent physical disability. 619
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older. 620
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a 621
temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized 622
outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) 623
miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such 624
person on election day. 625
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse 626
or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation. 627
S. B. No. 2094 *SS08/R142* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 26 (ab\kr)

( ) I am required to be at work on election day during the 628
times when the polls will be open or I am required to be on-call 629
on election day during the times when the polls will be open. 630
( ) I am incarcerated in prison or jail in the county where 631
I am registered to vote and have not been convicted of a 632
disenfranchising crime. 633
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, 634
to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____. 635
Notify me of a problem with my 'Absent Elector's Ballot' at 636
the following: 637
Phone number: _____________________________ 638
Email address: ____________________________ 639
Mailing address: __________________________ 640
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars 641
($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary 642
for making a false statement in this application and for selling 643
my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This 644
sentence is to be in bold print.)" 645
SECTION 14. Section 23-15-637, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 646
amended as follows: 647
23-15-637. (1) * * * Absentee ballots and 648
applications * * *, except for fax or electronically transmitted 649
ballots as otherwise provided by Section 23-15-699 for UOCAVA 650
ballots, or common carrier, such as United Parcel Service or FedEx 651
Corporation, must be postmarked on or before the date of the 652
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PAGE 27 (ab\kr)

election and received by the registrar no more than five (5) 653
business days after the election; any received after such time 654
shall be handled as provided in Section 23-15-647 and shall not be 655
counted. 656
* * * 657
At the close of business each day at the office of the 658
registrar, the ballot box used shall be sealed and not unsealed 659
until the beginning of the next business day, and the seal number 660
shall be recorded with the number of ballots cast which shall be 661
stored in a secure location in the registrar's office. 662
(2) The registrar shall deposit all absentee ballots which 663
have been timely cast and received by mail in a secured and sealed 664
box in a designated location in the registrar's office upon 665
receipt. The registrar shall not send any absentee ballots to the 666
precinct polling locations. 667
(3) The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and 668
regulations necessary to ensure that when a qualified elector who 669
is qualified to vote absentee votes by absentee ballot, either by 670
mail or in person with a regular paper ballot, that person's 671
absentee vote is final and he or she may not vote at the polling 672
place on election day. Notwithstanding any other provisions of 673
law to the contrary, the Secretary of State shall promulgate rules 674
and regulations necessary to ensure that absentee ballots shall 675
remain in the registrar's office for counting and not be taken to 676
the precincts on election day. 677
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ST: Elections; authorize online voter
registration and preelection day voting.
SECTION 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from 678
and after July 1, 2026. 679