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SB2213 • 2026

Early voting; authorize up to 20 days before any election.

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO VOTE NOT MORE THAN 20 DAYS NOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF AN ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT PREELECTION VOTING MAY BE CONDUCTED IN THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE; TO REQUIRE A PERSON WHO DESIRES TO VOTE DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD TO APPEAR AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER SIGNING THE RECEIPT BOOK SUCH PERSON SHALL BE ENTITLED TO VOTE AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE OR SHE WOULD AT HIS OR HER VOTING PRECINCT ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ELECTION LAWS THAT GOVERN PROCEDURES FOR A PERSON WHO APPEARS TO VOTE ON THE DAY OF ELECTION SHALL APPLY WHEN A PERSON APPEARS TO VOTE DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL VOTES CAST DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD SHALL BE FINAL; TO PROVIDE THAT THE VOTES CAST DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD SHALL BE ANNOUNCED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE VOTE CAST ON ELECTION DAY; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PRESENT AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND TO CHALLENGE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ANY PERSON OFFERING TO PREELECTION VOTE IN THE SAME MANNER AS PROVIDED BY LAW AT THE POLLING PLACE ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE PREELECTION DAY VOTING; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-195, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Elections
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Simmons (12th)
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Early Voting Act

This bill allows people to vote up to 20 days before an election at their local registrar's office.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows voters to cast ballots up to 20 days before the day of an election, but not less than two days before it.
  • Requires early voting to take place in the registrar’s office during weekdays and certain hours.
  • Ensures that all votes cast during early voting are final and counted on election day.
  • Gives candidates or their representatives the right to challenge voter qualifications at the registrar's office during early voting.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Registered voters in Mississippi who want to vote before election day.
  • Local registrars responsible for conducting early voting.
  • Candidates and their representatives involved in challenging voter qualifications.

Terms To Know

Qualified Elector
A person who is registered to vote and meets the requirements to do so.
Registrar's Office
The office where voters register and can cast their ballots early.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass in its current session.
  • It would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, if passed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-14 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/14 (S) Referred To Elections

Official Summary Text

Early voting; authorize up to 20 days before any election.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2213 *SS08/R630* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS08/R630
PAGE 1 (ab\kr)

To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Simmons (12th)

SENATE BILL NO. 2213

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR TO VOTE NOT MORE THAN 1
20 DAYS NOR LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF AN ELECTION; TO 2
PROVIDE THAT PREELECTION VOTING MAY BE CONDUCTED IN THE 3
REGISTRAR'S OFFICE; TO REQUIRE A PERSON WHO DESIRES TO VOTE DURING 4
THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD TO APPEAR AT THE REGISTRAR'S 5
OFFICE AND TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER SIGNING THE RECEIPT BOOK SUCH 6
PERSON SHALL BE ENTITLED TO VOTE AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE IN THE 7
SAME MANNER AS HE OR SHE WOULD AT HIS OR HER VOTING PRECINCT ON 8
THE DAY OF THE ELECTION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ELECTION LAWS THAT 9
GOVERN PROCEDURES FOR A PERSON WHO APPEARS TO VOTE ON THE DAY OF 10
ELECTION SHALL APPLY WHEN A PERSON APPEARS TO VOTE DURING THE 11
PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL VOTES CAST 12
DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING PERIOD SHALL BE FINAL; TO 13
PROVIDE THAT THE VOTES CAST DURING THE PREELECTION DAY VOTING 14
PERIOD SHALL BE ANNOUNCED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE VOTE CAST ON 15
ELECTION DAY; TO PROVIDE THAT EACH CANDIDATE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT 16
TO BE PRESENT AT THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND TO CHALLENGE THE 17
QUALIFICATIONS OF ANY PERSON OFFERING TO PREELECTION VOTE IN THE 18
SAME MANNER AS PROVIDED BY LAW AT THE POLLING PLACE ON THE DAY OF 19
THE ELECTION; TO REQUIRE THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO PROMULGATE 20
RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE PREELECTION DAY 21
VOTING; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-195, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN 22
CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 23
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 24
SECTION 1. Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall be known 25
and may be cited as the "Preelection Day Voting Act." 26
SECTION 2. (1) The preelection day voting period shall 27
begin twenty (20) days before the date of each election and end at 28
S. B. No. 2213 *SS08/R630* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R630
PAGE 2 (ab\kr)

12:00 p.m. on the Saturday immediately before election day. Any 29
qualified elector may vote in the registrar's office in the county 30
in which the elector is registered to vote during the times 31
established for preelection day voting in this section. 32
(2) Preelection day voting shall be conducted in the office 33
of the registrar during weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. 34
During the last full week before an election, the office of the 35
registrar may remain open for preelection voting on weekdays 36
during the lunch hour and from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. 37
SECTION 3. (1) An elector who desires to vote early shall 38
appear at the office of the registrar in the county in which he or 39
she is registered to vote and shall present an acceptable form of 40
photo identification. After signing the appropriate receipt book, 41
the elector shall cast his or her ballot in the same manner as he 42
or she would at his or her voting precinct on the day of the 43
election. Except as may be otherwise provided by this act, the 44
election laws that govern procedures for a person who appears to 45
vote on the day of election shall apply when a person appears to 46
vote during the preelection day voting period. 47
(2) All votes cast at a preelection day voting location 48
shall be final. 49
(3) The votes cast during preelection voting shall be 50
announced simultaneously with the votes cast on election day. 51
SECTION 4. Each candidate or his or her representatives 52
shall have the right to be present at the office of the registrar 53
S. B. No. 2213 *SS08/R630* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R630
PAGE 3 (ab\kr)
ST: Early voting; authorize up to 20 days
before any election.
when it is open for preelection day voting and to challenge the 54
qualifications of any person offering to vote in the same manner 55
as provided by law at the polling place on election day. 56
SECTION 5. The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and 57
regulations necessary to effectuate preelection day voting. 58
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-195, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 59
amended as follows: 60
23-15-195. All elections by the people shall be by 61
ballot * * *. 62
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 63
and after July 1, 2026. 64