Senate Bill 2347

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-359, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF A POST OFFICE BOX NUMBER AS A QUALIFYING ADDRESS FOR A CANDIDATE FILING TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE; TO REQUIRE THE CANDIDATE TO PROVIDE A PHYSICAL ADDRESS FOR HIS OR HER PLACE OF RESIDENCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-359, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-359. (1) Except as provided in this section, the ballot shall contain the names of all party nominees certified by the appropriate executive committee, and independent and special election candidates who have timely filed petitions containing the required signatures and assessments that must be paid pursuant to Section 23-15-297, if the candidates and nominees meet all of the qualifications to hold the office sought. A petition requesting that an independent or special election candidate's name be placed on the ballot for any office shall be filed as provided for in subsection (3) or (4) of this section, as appropriate, and shall be signed by not less than the following number of qualified electors:

(a) For an office elected by the state at large, not less than one thousand (1,000) qualified electors.

(b) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a Supreme Court district, not less than three hundred (300) qualified electors.

(c) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a congressional district, not less than two hundred (200) qualified electors.

(d) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a circuit or chancery court district, not less than one hundred (100) qualified electors.

(e) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a senatorial or representative district, not less than fifty (50) qualified electors.

(f) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a county, not less than fifty (50) qualified electors.

(g) For an office elected by the qualified electors of a supervisors district, not less than fifteen (15) qualified electors.

(h) For the Office of President of the United States, a party nominee or independent candidate shall pay an assessment in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00).

(2) (a) Unless the petition or fee, whichever is applicable, required above shall be filed as provided for in subsection (3), (4) or (5) of this section, as appropriate, the name of the person requested to be a candidate, unless nominated by a political party, shall not be placed upon the ballot. The ballot shall contain the names of each candidate for each office, and the names shall be listed under the name of the political party that candidate represents, when applicable, as provided by law and as certified to the circuit clerk by the state executive committee of the political party. In the event the candidate qualifies as an independent as provided in this section, he or she shall be listed on the ballot as an independent candidate.

(b) The name of an independent or special election candidate who dies before the printing of the ballots, shall not be placed on the ballots.

(3) Petitions for offices described in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of subsection (1) of this section shall be filed with the Secretary of State, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the same date or business day, as applicable, by which candidates are required to pay the fee provided for in Section 23-15-297; and, no petition may be filed before the date specified in Section 23-15-299.

(4) Petitions for offices described in paragraphs (f) and (g) of subsection (1) of this section shall be filed with the proper circuit clerk, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the same date by which candidates are required to pay the fee provided for in Section 23-15-297; however, no petition may be filed before January 1 of the year in which the election for the office is held. The circuit clerk shall notify the county election commissioners of all persons who have filed petitions with the clerk. The notification shall occur within two (2) business days and shall contain all necessary information.

(5) A petition required under this section, or any other petition for a special election, shall be accompanied by a statement, on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, containing the name and physical address of the candidate, the email address of the candidate, if any, and the office he or she seeks. Each statement shall also require the candidate to certify that he or she meets all the qualifications to hold the office he or she seeks.

(6) The assessment for the office described in paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of this section shall be paid to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall deposit any qualifying fees received from candidates into the Elections Support Fund established in Section 23-15-5.

(7) The election commissioners may also have printed upon the ballot any local issue election matter that is authorized to be held on the same date as the regular or general election pursuant to Section 23-15-375; however, the ballot form of the local issue must be filed with the election commissioners by the appropriate governing authority not less than sixty (60) days before the date of the election.

(8) The provisions of this section shall not apply to municipal elections or to the election of the offices of justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, circuit judge, chancellor, county court judge, justice court judge and family court judge.

(9) Nothing in this section shall prohibit special elections to fill vacancies in either house of the Legislature from being held as provided in Section 23-15-851. In all elections conducted under the provisions of Section 23-15-851, there shall be printed on the ballot the name of any candidate who, not having been nominated by a political party, shall have been requested to be a candidate for any office by a petition filed with the Secretary of State and signed by not less than fifty (50) qualified electors.

(10) (a) The appropriate election commission shall determine the following:

(i) Whether each candidate is a qualified elector of the state, state district, county or county district they seek to serve; and

(ii) Whether each candidate meets all other qualifications to hold the office he or she is seeking or presents absolute proof that he or she will, subject to no contingencies, meet all qualifications on or before the date of the general or special election at which he or she could be elected to office. The election commission shall require any candidate for public office to supply the physical address of his or her place of residence and not a post office box number; and

(iii) Whether the candidate has taken the steps necessary to qualify for more than one (1) office at the election; and

(iv) Whether any candidate has been convicted of any of the following:

1. Any felony in a court of this state,

2. On or after December 8, 1992, any offense in another state which is a felony under the laws of this state,

3. Any felony in a federal court on or after December 8, 1992, or

4. Any offense that involved the misuse or abuse of his or her office or money coming into his or her hands by virtue of the office. Excepted from the above are convictions of manslaughter and violations of the United States Internal Revenue Code or any violations of the tax laws of this state; and

(v) Whether the candidate has voted in any election outside of the jurisdiction in which he or she seeks to represent during the period in which the candidate is required to have resided within the jurisdiction. If a candidate is found to have voted in any election outside of the jurisdiction that he or she seeks to represent during the period in which the candidate is required to have resided within the jurisdiction, the name of such candidate shall not appear on the ballot. However, if a candidate who votes in an election that he or she was properly registered for is then subsequently redistricted into the jurisdiction that he or she is currently seeking to represent, then he or she shall not be disqualified as a candidate due to voting in an election outside of his or her current jurisdiction during the required residency period.

(b) If the appropriate election commission finds that a candidate either (i) is not a qualified elector, (ii) does not meet all qualifications to hold the office he or she seeks and fails to provide absolute proof, subject to no contingencies, that he or she will meet the qualifications on or before the date of the general or special election at which he or she could be elected, or (iii) has been convicted of a felony or other disqualifying offense as described in paragraph (a) of this subsection, and not pardoned, or (iv) has voted in any election outside of the jurisdiction he or she is currently seeking to represent during the period in which the candidate is required to have resided within the jurisdiction, and is not subject to a redistricting exception as stated in paragraph (a)(v) of this subsection, then the election commission shall notify the candidate and give the candidate an opportunity to be heard. The election commission shall mail notice to the candidate at least three (3) business days before the hearing to the address provided by the candidate on the qualifying forms, and the committee shall attempt to contact the candidate by telephone, email and facsimile if the candidate provided this information on the forms. If the candidate fails to appear at the hearing or to prove that he or she meets all qualifications to hold the office subject to no contingencies, then the name of such candidate shall not be placed upon the ballot. If the appropriate election commission determines that the candidate has taken the steps necessary to qualify for more than one (1) office at the election, the action required by Section 23-15-905, shall be taken. The election commission shall render a decision on whether the name of the candidate shall appear on the ballot within five (5) days of the hearing.

(c) (i) A candidate aggrieved by the decision of the appropriate election commission may file a petition for judicial review to the circuit court of the county in which the election commission whose decision is being reviewed sits. Such petition must be filed no later than ten (10) days after the decision of the election commission. Such candidate filing for judicial review shall give a cost bond in the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) with two (2) or more sufficient sureties conditioned to pay all costs in case his or her petition be dismissed, and an additional bond may be required, by the court, if necessary, at any subsequent stage of the proceedings.

(ii) The circuit court with whom such a petition for judicial review has been filed shall at the earliest possible date set the matter for hearing. Notice shall be given to the interested parties of the time set for hearing by the circuit clerk. The hearing before the circuit court shall be de novo. The matter shall be tried to the circuit judge, without a jury. After hearing the evidence, the circuit judge shall determine whether the candidate whose qualifications have been challenged is legally qualified to have his or her name placed upon the ballot in question. The circuit judge may, upon disqualification of any such candidate, order that such candidate shall bear the court costs of the proceedings.

(iii) Within three (3) days after judgment is rendered by the circuit court, the contestant or contestee, or both, may file an appeal in the Supreme Court upon giving a cost bond in the sum of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), together with a bill of exceptions that states the point or points of law at issue with a sufficient synopsis of the facts to fully disclose the bearing and relevancy of such points of law. The bill of exceptions shall be signed by the trial judge, or in case of his or her absence, refusal or disability, by two (2) disinterested attorneys, as is provided by law in other cases of bills of exception. The filing of such appeals shall automatically suspend the decision of the circuit court and the appropriate election officials are entitled to proceed based upon their decision unless the Supreme Court, in its discretion, stays further proceedings in the matter. The appeal shall be immediately docketed in the Supreme Court and referred to the court en banc upon briefs without oral argument unless the court shall call for oral argument, and shall be decided at the earliest possible date, as a preference case over all others. The Supreme Court shall have the authority to grant such relief as is appropriate under the circumstances.

(iv) The procedure set forth above shall be the sole and only manner in which a candidate may appeal the appropriate election commission's decision to not place the candidate's name on the ballot under this section. These provisions do not interfere with the rights of other persons to challenge the decision of the appropriate election commission to place the name of the candidate on the ballot in accordance with Section 23-15-963. After any person assumes an elective office, his or her qualifications to hold that office may be contested as otherwise provided by law.

(11) If after the deadline to qualify as a candidate for an office or after the time for holding any party primary for an office, only one (1) person has duly qualified to be a candidate for the office in the general election, the name of that person shall be placed on the ballot; provided, however, that if not more than one (1) person duly qualified to be a candidate for each office on the general election ballot, the election for all offices on the ballot shall be dispensed with and the appropriate election commission shall declare each candidate elected without opposition if the candidate meets all the qualifications to hold the office as determined pursuant to a review by the election commission in accordance with the provisions of subsection (9) of this section and if the candidate has filed all required campaign finance disclosure reports as required by Section 23-15-807.

(12) The documents required by this section may not be filed by using the Internet.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.