House Bill 1156

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-557, 23-15-281, 23-15-285, 23-15-35, 23-15-115, 19-3-1, 21-5-5, 21-9-59 AND 23-15-283, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT NO POLLING PLACE SHALL BE CLOSED WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF ANY PRIMARY, GENERAL, RUNOFF OR SPECIAL ELECTION UNLESS EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 23-15-557, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-557. The governing authorities of any municipality within the State of Mississippi are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to divide the municipality into a sufficient number of voting precincts of such size and location as is necessary, and there shall be the same number of polling places. The authority conducting an election shall not be required, however, to establish a polling place in each of said precincts, but such election authorities, whether in a primary or in a general election, may locate and establish such polling places, without regard to precinct lines, in such manner as in the discretion of such authority will better accommodate the electorate and better facilitate the holding of the election. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

SECTION 2. Section 23-15-281, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-281. (1) Each county shall be divided into supervisors districts, which shall be the same as those for the election of members of the board of supervisors, and may be subdivided thereafter into voting precincts; and there shall be only one (1) voting place in each voting precinct. The board of supervisors shall notify the Office of the Secretary of State of the boundary of each supervisors district, sub-precinct and voting precinct as then fixed and shall provide the office a legal description and a map of each supervisors district, sub-precinct and voting precinct and shall indicate the voting place in each such district. The board of supervisors shall also ensure the legal description and map of each supervisors district is available in the circuit clerk's office for public inspection.

(2) The board of supervisors is authorized, by order spread upon the minutes of the board setting forth the cost and source of funds therefor, to purchase improved or unimproved property and to construct, reconstruct, repair, renovate and maintain polling places, or to pay to private property owners reasonable rental fees when the property is used as a polling place for a period not to exceed the day immediately preceding the election, the day of the election, and the day immediately following the election. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors finds that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election. On or before May 1, 2019, the county board of supervisors shall ensure each polling place is accessible to all voters, structurally sound, capable of providing air conditioning and heating and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(3) All facilities owned or leased by the state, county, municipality, or school district may be made available at no cost to the board of supervisors for use as polling places to such extent as may be agreed to by the authority having control or custody of these facilities.

SECTION 3. Section 23-15-285, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-285. The board of supervisors shall cause an entry to be made on the minutes of the board at some meeting, as early as convenient, defining the boundaries of the several supervisors districts, sub-precincts and voting precincts in the county, and designating the voting place in each voting precinct; and as soon as practicable after any change is made in any supervisors district, sub-precincts, voting precinct or any voting place, the board of supervisors shall cause the change to be entered on the minutes of the board in such manner as to be easily understood. Precinct boundaries may be changed only during the times provided in Section 23-15-283.

No voting precinct shall have more than five hundred (500) qualified electors residing in its boundaries. Subject to the provisions of this section, each board of supervisors of the various counties of this state shall as soon as practical after January 1, 1987, alter or change the boundaries of the various voting precincts to comply herewith and shall from time to time make such changes in the boundaries of voting precincts so that there shall never be more than five hundred (500) qualified electors within the boundaries of the various voting precincts of this state; provided further, this limitation shall not apply to voting precincts that are so divided, alphabetically or otherwise, so as to have less than five hundred (500) qualified electors in any one (1) box within a voting precinct. However, the limitation of five hundred (500) qualified electors to the voting precinct shall not apply to voting precincts in which voting machines are used at all elections held in that voting precinct. No change in any supervisors district, sub-precinct or voting precinct shall take effect less than thirty (30) days before the qualifying deadline for the office of county supervisor. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors finds that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

SECTION 4. Section 23-15-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-35. (1) The clerk of the municipality shall be the registrar of voters of the municipality, and shall take the oath of office prescribed by Section 268 of the Constitution. The municipal registration shall conform to the county registration which shall be a part of the official record of registered voters as contained in the Statewide Elections Management System. The municipal clerk shall comply with all the provisions of law regarding the registration of voters, including the use of the voter registration applications used by county registrars and prescribed by the Secretary of State under Sections 23-15-39 and 23-15-47.

(2) The municipal clerk shall be authorized to register applicants as county electors. The municipal clerk shall forward notice of registration, a copy of the application for registration, and any changes to the registration when they occur, either by certified mail to the county registrar or by personal delivery to the county registrar provided that a numbered receipt is signed by the county registrar in return for the described documents. Upon receipt of the copy of the application for registration or changes to the registration, and if a review of the application indicates that the applicant meets all the criteria necessary to qualify as a county elector, then the county registrar shall make a determination of the county voting precinct in which the person making the application shall be required to vote. The county registrar shall send this county voting precinct information by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the person at the address provided on the application. Any mailing costs incurred by the municipal clerk or the county registrar in effectuating this subsection (2) shall be paid by the county board of supervisors. If a review of the copy of the application for registration or changes to the registration indicates that the applicant is not qualified to vote in the county, the county registrar shall challenge the application. The county election commissioners shall review any challenge or disqualification, after having notified the applicant by certified mail of the challenge or disqualification.

(3) The municipal clerk shall issue to the person making the application a copy of the application and the county registrar shall process the application in accordance with the law regarding the handling of voter registration applications.

(4) The receipt of a copy of the application for registration sent pursuant to Section 23-15-39(3) shall be sufficient to allow the applicant to be registered as an elector in the municipality, provided that such application is not challenged as provided for therein.

(5) The municipal clerk of each municipality shall provide the county registrar in which the municipality is located the information necessary to conform the municipal registration to the county registration which shall be a part of the official record of registered voters as contained in the Statewide Elections Management System. If any changes to the information occur as a result of redistricting, annexation or other reason, it shall be the responsibility of the municipal clerk to timely provide the changes to the county registrar. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

SECTION 5. Section 23-15-115, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-115. When a transfer of a voter registration is necessitated by any change in the boundaries of legislative districts, supervisors districts, voting precincts, or other similar boundaries, such information necessary to bring about such transfer may be secured by mail or otherwise. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors of a county or governing authority of a municipality, as applicable, find that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election. Necessary forms for the purposes of securing necessary information shall be prepared by the registrar.

SECTION 6. Section 19-3-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

19-3-1. Each county shall be divided into five (5) districts, with due regard to equality of population and convenience of situation for the election of members of the boards of supervisors, but the districts as now existing shall continue until changed. The qualified electors of each district shall elect, at the next general election, and every four (4) years thereafter, in their districts one (1) member of the board of supervisors. Subject to the provisions of Sections 23-15-283 and 23-15-285, the board, by a three-fifths (3/5) vote of all members elected, may change the districts, the boundaries to be entered at large in the minutes of the proceedings of the board. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors finds that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

If the boundaries of the districts are changed by order of the board of supervisors as provided in this section, the order shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

SECTION 7. Section 21-5-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

21-5-5. The mayor and councilmen (or commissioners) of all cities operated under the commission form of government shall be elected from the city at large, but the municipal authorities may establish as many wards and as many voting precincts in each ward as may be necessary or desirable. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election. No person shall be eligible to the office of mayor or councilman unless he is a qualified elector of such city and shall have been a bona fide resident thereof for a period of at least one (1) year next preceding the date of the commencement of his term of office.

In the event the council should ordain that the councilmen posts shall be separated, as provided in Section 21-5-11, such post shall be so separated for election purposes and persons seeking the office of councilman shall qualify and seek election for a specific post, as designated by ordinance, and each post shall be voted on separately by the qualified electors of the municipality voting in said election.

In the event there should be but one (1) candidate for one of such election posts, or only one (1) candidate for each of such posts, then such candidate or candidates shall be declared to be elected.

SECTION 8. Section 21-9-59, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

21-9-59. The council is authorized to provide by ordinance for the division of the wards, or if there be no wards, for the division of the municipality, into such number of voting precincts as may be necessary, each as nearly as possible containing the same number of qualified electors. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the governing authorities find that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

SECTION 9. Section 23-15-283, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

23-15-283. (1) The board of supervisors shall have power to alter the boundaries of the supervisors districts, voting precincts, sub-precincts and the voting place therein. If the board of supervisors orders a change in the boundaries, they shall notify the election commissioners, who shall at once cause the voter rolls as electronically maintained by the Statewide Elections Management System of voting precincts affected by the order to be changed to conform to the change so as to contain only the names of the qualified electors in the voting precincts as made by the change of boundaries. Upon the order of change in the boundaries of any voting precinct or the voting place therein, the board of supervisors shall notify the Office of the Secretary of State and provide the Office of the Secretary of State a legal description and a map of any boundary change. No change shall be implemented or enforced until the requirements of this section have been met. No polling place shall be closed within sixty (60) days of any primary, general, runoff or special election unless exigent circumstances exist. If the board of supervisors finds that exigent circumstances exist where a polling place needs to be closed within sixty (60) days of an election, then their reasons for making that decision shall be spread upon the minutes at their next scheduled meeting. When a polling place closes within sixty (60) days of an election, public notice of the closing shall be posted at city hall, the courthouse, the registrar's office, the polling place location that closed, and for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper that is circulated in the area; however, if the closing happens within three (3) weeks of the election, then public notice shall be published in that newspaper each week until the election.

(2) Only officials certified by the Secretary of State shall be authorized to implement boundary line changes in the Statewide Elections Management System. The training and certification required under this subsection (2) shall be available to the circuit clerk, county election commissioners or any other individual designated by the board of supervisors to be responsible for implementing boundary line changes into the Statewide Elections Management System.

(3) Any governmental entity authorized to adopt, amend or change boundary lines shall immediately forward all changed boundary lines to the appropriate circuit clerk, who shall, if authorized under subsection (2), implement the boundary line changes in the Statewide Elections Management System. If the circuit clerk is not the appropriate person to implement the boundary line changes, the clerk shall immediately forward a copy of all materials to the appropriate person. Copies of any boundary line changes within the county shall be maintained in the office of the circuit clerk and made available for public inspection. No change shall be implemented or enforced until the requirements of this section have been met.

(4) Precinct boundary changes affected by the authority of this section or of any other provision of law shall not be implemented during any decade after the last day of September of the year ending in eight (8). Precinct boundaries in force and effect at such time shall remain in effect and unalterable until the last day of December in the next year ending in zero. This prohibition shall not bar the creation or modification of sub-precinct boundaries.

SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.