MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Elections; Judiciary, Division B
By: Senator(s) Seymour
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-753, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE PUNISHMENT FOR THE CRIME OF VOTE FRAUD TO A FINE NOT LESS THAN $1,000.00 AND A TERM OF IMPRISONMENT IN THE PENITENTIARY FOR NOT LESS THAN ONE YEAR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-753, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-753. (1) Any person who
willfully, unlawfully and feloniously procures, seeks to procure * * * or seeks to influence the vote of any person voting
by absentee ballot, by the payment of money, the promise of payment of money, or
by the delivery of any other item of value or promise to give the voter any item
of value, or by promising or giving the voter any favor or reward in an effort to
influence his or her vote, or any person who aids, abets, assists, encourages,
helps * * * or causes
any person voting an absentee ballot to violate any provision of law pertaining
to absentee voting, or any person who sells his or her vote for money, favor * * * or reward, has been paid or promised money, a
reward, a favor or favors, or any other item of value, or any person who fraudulently
requests or submits an absentee ballot application for any voter, or any person
who shall willfully swear falsely to any affidavit provided for in Sections 23-15-621
through 23-15-735, shall be guilty of the felony crime of "vote fraud"
and, upon conviction, shall be * * * fined not less
than * * * One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), * * * and shall
be sentenced to the State Penitentiary for not less than one (1) year nor more
than five (5) years.
(2) It shall be unlawful for
any person who pays or compensates another person for assisting voters in marking
their absentee ballots to base the pay or compensation on the number of absentee
voters assisted or the number of absentee ballots cast by persons who have received
the assistance. Any person who violates this section, upon conviction, shall be
fined not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor more than Five Thousand
Dollars ($5,000.00), * * *
and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary not less than one (1) year nor
more than five (5) years, or both.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.