Senate Bill 2531

(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-1081, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY SHALL BE HELD ON THE FIRST TUESDAY IN MARCH; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-1083 AND 23-15-1055, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-1081, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-1081. A presidential preference primary may be held on the * * *~~second~~ first Tuesday in March of each year in which a President of the United States is to be elected. Each political party which has cast for its candidates for President and Vice President in the previous presidential election more than twenty percent (20%) of the total vote cast for President and Vice President in the state, may conduct a presidential preference primary. No elector shall vote in the primary of more than one (1) political party in the same presidential preference primary.

SECTION 2. Section 23-15-1083, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-1083. Beginning in 1988, as an alternative to the congressional primary election date set forth in Section 23-15-1031, when a political party elects to conduct a presidential preference primary, the first primary election for congressmen, and senators, if senators are to be elected, shall be held on the * * *~~second~~ first Tuesday in March, and the second primary, when one is necessary, shall be held three (3) weeks thereafter, and the election shall be held in all districts of the state on the same day.

SECTION 3. Section 23-15-1055, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-1055. The state executive committee of each political party shall determine the method and procedures by which delegates and delegate alternates to the national nominating conventions are to be selected as well as adopt any other rule not inconsistent with this chapter. The state executive committee of the political party shall establish, at least ninety (90) days prior to the * * *~~second~~ first Tuesday in March in years in which a presidential election is held, procedures to be followed in the nomination of candidates for delegates and delegate alternates to the nominating convention of the political party. A copy of any rule or regulation adopted by the state executive committee shall be sent to the Secretary of State within seven (7) days after its adoption to become a public record.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2015.