MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2003 Regular Session
To: Apportionment and Elections
By: Representative Scott (80th)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-505, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF JASPER COUNTY TO PURCHASE CERTAIN OPTICAL MARK READING EQUIPMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-505, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-505. The board of supervisors of any county in the State of Mississippi and the governing authorities of any municipality in the State of Mississippi are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to purchase or rent optical mark reading equipment used in an electronic voting system which meets the requirements of Section 23-15-507 and may use such system in all or a part of the precincts within its boundaries. It may enlarge, consolidate or alter the boundaries of precincts where an electronic voting system is used. The provisions of this chapter shall be controlling with respect to elections where any OMR system is used, and shall be liberally construed so as to carry out the purpose of this chapter. The provisions of the election law relating to the conduct of elections with paper ballots, that are to be manually tabulated, insofar as they are applicable and not in conflict with the efficient conduct of the systems, shall apply.
The Board of Supervisors of Jasper County shall purchase optical mark reading equipment to scan ballots at the polling places, provided that such purchase is paid for out of federal funds administered and made available through the Office of the Secretary of State.
SECTION 2. The Attorney General of the State of Mississippi shall submit this act, immediately upon approval by the Governor, or upon approval by the Legislature subsequent to a veto, to the Attorney General of the United States or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the date it is effectuated under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended.