MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Apportionment and Elections
By: Representative Wallace
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-627, 23-15-631, 23-15-637, 23-15-639, 23-15-651, 23-15-713, 23-15-715 AND 23-15-721, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE REGISTRAR ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTION; TO MAKE MINOR, NONSUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO REMOVE LANGUAGE RELATED TO COVID-19; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-649, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-627, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-627. Any elector described in Section 23-15-713 may request an absentee ballot application and vote in person at the office of the registrar in the county in which he or she resides. The registrar shall be responsible for furnishing an absentee ballot application form to any elector authorized to receive an absentee ballot. Except as otherwise provided in Section 23-15-625, absentee ballot applications shall be furnished to a person only upon the oral or written request of the elector who seeks to vote by absentee ballot; however, the parent, child, spouse, sibling, legal guardian, those empowered with a power of attorney for that elector's affairs or agent of the elector, who is designated in writing and witnessed by a resident of this state who shall write his or her physical address on such designation, may orally request an absentee ballot application on behalf of the elector. The written designation shall be valid for one (1) year after the date of the designation. An absentee ballot application must have the seal of the circuit or municipal clerk affixed to it and be initialed by the registrar or his or her deputy in order to be used to obtain an absentee ballot. A reproduction of an absentee ballot application shall not be valid unless it is a reproduction provided by the office of the registrar of the jurisdiction in which the election is being held and which contains the seal and initials required by this section. Such application shall be substantially in the following form:
"OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR ABSENT ELECTOR'S BALLOT
I, _____, duly qualified and registered in the ___ Precinct of the County of _____, and State of Mississippi, coming within the purview of the definition 'ABSENT ELECTOR' will be absent from the county of my residence on election day, or unable to vote in person because (check appropriate reason):
( ) (PRESIDENTIAL APPLICANT ONLY:) I am currently a resident of Mississippi or have moved therefrom within thirty (30) days of the coming presidential election.
( ) I am an enlisted or commissioned member, male or female, of any component of the United States Armed Forces and am a citizen of Mississippi, or spouse or dependent of such member.
( ) I am a member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such member.
( ) I am a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any hospital and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such veteran.
( ) I am a civilian attached to and serving outside of the United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, and am a citizen of Mississippi or spouse or dependent of such civilian.
( ) I am a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia.
( ) I am a student, teacher or administrator at a college, university, junior or community college, high, junior high, elementary or grade school, whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates my absence from the county of my voting residence or spouse or dependent of such student, teacher or administrator who maintains a common domicile outside the county of my voting residence with such student, teacher or administrator.
( ) I will be outside the county on election day.
( ) I have a temporary or
permanent physical disability * * *.
( ) I am sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
( ) I am the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his or her residence, and I will be with such person on election day.
( ) I am a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation.
( ) I am required to be at work on election day during the times which the polls will be open.
I hereby make application for an official ballot, or ballots, to be voted by me at the election to be held in _____, on _____.
Mail 'Absent Elector's Ballot' to me at the following address ____________.
( ) I wish to receive an absentee ballot for the runoff election ___________________________________________.
I realize that I can be fined up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and sentenced up to five (5) years in the Penitentiary for making a false statement in this application and for selling my vote and violating the Mississippi Absentee Voter Law. (This sentence is to be in bold print.)
If you are temporarily or permanently disabled, you are not required to have this application notarized or signed by an official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting. You are required to sign this application in the proper place and have a person eighteen (18) years of age or older witness your signature and sign this application in the proper place.
DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING. (This sentence is to be in bold print.)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the ____ day of ______, 2___.
_________________________________
(Signature of absent elector)
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me this the ____ day of _____, 2___.
_________________________________
(Official authorized to administer oaths
for absentee balloting.)
TO BE SIGNED BY WITNESS FOR VOTERS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DISABLED:
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this application for an absent elector's ballot was signed by the above-named elector in my presence and that I am at least eighteen (18) years of age, this the _____ day of ____________________, 2___.
_________________________________
(Signature of witness)
CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY
I hereby certify that _________________ (print name of voter) has requested that I, __________________ (print name of person delivering application), deliver to the voter this absentee ballot application.
__________________________________________
(Signature of person delivering application)
__________________________________________
(Address of person delivering application)"
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-631, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-631. (1) The registrar shall enclose with each ballot mailed to an absent elector separate printed instructions furnished by the registrar containing the following:
(a) All absentee voters, excepting those with temporary or permanent physical disabilities or those who are sixty-five (65) years of age or older, who mark their ballots in the county of the residence shall use the registrar of that county as the witness. The absentee voter shall come to the office of the registrar and neither the registrar nor his or her deputy shall be required to go out of the registrar's office to serve as an attesting witness.
(b) Upon receipt of the enclosed ballot, you will not mark the ballot except in view or sight of the attesting witness. In the sight or view of the attesting witness, mark the ballot according to instructions.
(c) After marking the
ballot, fill out and sign the "ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE" on the back of
the envelope so that the signature is across the flap of the envelope to ensure
the integrity of the ballot. All absent electors shall have the attesting
witness sign the "ATTESTING WITNESS CERTIFICATE" across the flap on
the back of the envelope. Place the necessary postage on the envelope and
deposit it in the post office or some government receptacle provided for deposit
of mail so that the absent elector's ballot will be * * *
received by the registrar no * * * later than * * * the day before
the election.
Any notary public, United States postmaster, assistant United States postmaster, United States postal supervisor, clerk in charge of a contract postal station, or other officer having authority to administer an oath or take an acknowledgment may be an attesting witness; provided, however, that in the case of an absent elector who is temporarily or permanently physically disabled, the attesting witness may be any person eighteen (18) years of age or older and such person is not required to have the authority to administer an oath. If a postmaster, assistant postmaster, postal supervisor, or clerk in charge of a contract postal station acts as an attesting witness, his or her signature on the elector's certificate must be authenticated by the cancellation stamp of their respective post offices. If an officer having authority to administer an oath or take an acknowledgement acts as attesting witness, his or her signature on the elector's certificate, together with his or her title and address, but no seal, shall be required. Any affidavits made by an absent elector who is in the Armed Forces may be executed before a commissioned officer, warrant officer, or noncommissioned officer not lower in grade than sergeant rating or any person authorized to administer oaths.
(d) When the application accompanies the ballot it shall not be returned in the same envelope as the ballot but shall be returned in a separate preaddressed envelope provided by the registrar.
(e) A candidate for public office, or the spouse, parent or child of a candidate for public office, may not be an attesting witness for any absentee ballot upon which the candidate's name appears, unless the voter is related within the first degree to the candidate or the spouse, parent or child of the candidate.
(f) Any voter casting an absentee ballot who declares that he or she requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, temporary or permanent physical disability or inability to read or write, shall be entitled to receive assistance in the marking of his or her absentee ballot and in completing the affidavit on the absentee ballot envelope. The voter may be given assistance by anyone of the voter's choice other than a candidate whose name appears on the absentee ballot being marked, the spouse, parent or child of a candidate whose name appears on the absentee ballot being marked or the voter's employer, an agent of that employer or a union representative; however, a candidate whose name is on the ballot or the spouse, parent or child of such candidate may provide assistance upon request to any voter who is related within the first degree. In order to ensure the integrity of the ballot, any person who provides assistance to an absentee voter shall be required to sign and complete the "Certificate of Person Providing Voter Assistance" on the absentee ballot envelope.
(2) The foregoing instructions required to be provided by the registrar to the elector shall also constitute the substantive law pertaining to the handling of absentee ballots by the elector and registrar.
(3) The Secretary of State shall prepare instructions on how absent voters may comply with the identification requirements of Section 23-15-563.
SECTION 3. Section 23-15-637, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-637. (1) (a)
Absentee ballots and applications received by mail, except for fax or
electronically transmitted ballots as otherwise provided by Section 23-15-699
for UOCAVA ballots, must be * * *
received by the registrar * * *no more than five (5) business days after the day before
the election; any received after such time shall be handled as provided in
Section 23-15-647 and shall not be counted.
(b) All ballots cast
by the absent elector appearing in person in the office of the registrar shall
be cast with an absentee paper ballot and deposited into a sealed ballot box by
the voter, not later than 12:00 noon, * * * on the Saturday
immediately preceding elections held on Tuesday, the Thursday immediately
preceding elections held on Saturday, or the second day immediately preceding
the date of elections held on other days. At the close of business each day at
the office of the registrar, the ballot box used shall be sealed and not
unsealed until the beginning of the next business day, and the seal number
shall be recorded with the number of ballots cast which shall be stored in a
secure location in the registrar's office.
(2) The registrar shall deposit all absentee ballots which have been timely cast and received by mail in a secured and sealed box in a designated location in the registrar's office upon receipt. The registrar shall not send any absentee ballots to the precinct polling locations.
(3) The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to ensure that when a qualified elector who is qualified to vote absentee votes by absentee ballot, either by mail or in person with a regular paper ballot, that person's absentee vote is final and he or she may not vote at the polling place on election day. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the Secretary of State shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to ensure that absentee ballots shall remain in the registrar's office for counting and not be taken to the precincts on election day.
SECTION 4. Section 23-15-639, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-639. (1) The examination and counting of all absentee ballots shall be conducted as follows:
(a) At the opening of the regular balloting and at the opening of the polls, the resolution board established under Section 23-15-523 and trained in the process of canvassing absentee ballots shall first take the envelopes containing the absentee ballots of such electors from the secure location at the circuit clerk's office, and the name, address and precinct inscribed on each envelope shall be announced by the election managers.
(b) The signature on the application shall then be compared with the signature on the back of the envelope. If it corresponds and the affidavit, if one is required, is sufficient and the resolution board find that the applicant is a registered and qualified voter or otherwise qualified to vote, the envelope shall then be opened and the ballot removed from the envelope, without its being unfolded, or permitted to be unfolded or examined.
(c) Having observed
and found the ballot to be regular as far as can be observed from its official
endorsement, the resolution board shall deposit it in the ballot box with the
other ballots before counting any ballots and enter the voter's name in the
receipt book provided for that purpose. All absentee ballots received * * * the day before the election
shall be counted in the registrar's office by the resolution board when the
polls close and then added to the votes cast in each precinct. All absentee
ballots received after * * * the day before the election * * * shall be processed * * * in accordance with Section
23-15-647.
(2) The resolution board shall also take such action as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State to ensure compliance with the identification requirements of Section 23-15-563.
(3) The resolution board shall process the absentee ballots using the procedure provided in subsection (1) of this section.
SECTION 5. Section 23-15-651, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-651. The results of
the vote by absentee balloting shall be announced simultaneously with the vote
cast on election day * * *.
SECTION 6. Section 23-15-713, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-713. For the purpose of this subarticle, any duly qualified elector may vote as provided in this subarticle if the elector falls within at least one (1) of the following categories:
(a) Any qualified elector who is a bona fide student, teacher or administrator at any college, university, junior college, high, junior high, or elementary grade school whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates his or her absence from the county of his or her voting residence on the date of any primary, general or special election, or the spouse and dependents of that student, teacher or administrator if such spouse or dependent(s) maintain a common domicile, outside of the county of his or her voting residence, with such student, teacher or administrator.
(b) Any qualified elector who is required to be away from his or her place of residence on any election day due to his or her employment as an employee of a member of the Mississippi congressional delegation and the spouse and dependents of such person if he or she shall be residing with such absentee voter away from the county of the spouse's voting residence.
(c) Any qualified elector who is away from his or her county of residence on election day for any reason.
(d) Any person who has
a temporary or permanent physical disability and who, because of such
disability, is unable to vote in person without substantial hardship to
himself, herself or others, or whose attendance at the voting place could
reasonably cause danger to himself, herself or others. * * *
(e) The parent, spouse
or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who
is hospitalized outside of his or her county of residence or more than fifty
(50) miles distant from his or her residence, if the parent, spouse or
dependent will be with such person on election day. * * *
(f) Any person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
(g) Any member of the Mississippi congressional delegation absent from Mississippi on election day, and the spouse and dependents of such member of the congressional delegation.
(h) Any qualified elector who will be unable to vote in person because he or she is required to be at work on election day during the times at which the polls will be open.
SECTION 7. Section 23-15-715, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-715. Any elector desiring an absentee ballot as provided in this subarticle may secure same if:
(a) Not more than forty-five
(45) days nor later than 12:00 noon, * * * on the
Saturday immediately preceding elections held on Tuesday, the Thursday
immediately preceding elections held on Saturday, or the second day immediately
preceding the date of elections held on other days, he shall appear in person
before the registrar of the county in which he resides, or for municipal
elections he shall appear in person before the city clerk of the municipality
in which he resides and, when the elector so appears, he shall execute and file
an application as provided in Section 23-15-627 and vote by absentee ballot,
except that if the ballot has not been printed by forty-five (45) days
preceding the election, the elector may appear and file an application anytime
before the election. Then the absentee ballot shall be mailed by the circuit
clerk to the elector as soon as the ballot has been printed.
(b) Within forty-five (45) days next prior to any election, any elector who cannot comply with paragraph (a) of this section by reason of temporarily residing outside the county, or any person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability, persons who are sixty-five (65) years of age or older, or any person who is the parent, spouse or dependent of a temporarily or permanently physically disabled person who is hospitalized outside of his county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his residence and such parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election day, may make application for an absentee ballot by mailing the appropriate application to the registrar. Only persons temporarily residing out of the county of their residence, persons having a temporary or permanent physical disability, persons who are sixty-five (65) years of age or older, or any person who is the parent, spouse or dependent of a temporarily or permanently physically disabled person who is hospitalized outside of his county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his residence, and such parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election day, may obtain absentee ballots by mail under the provisions of this subsection and as provided by Section 23-15-713. Applications of persons temporarily residing outside the county shall be sworn to and subscribed before an official who is authorized to administer oaths or other official authorized to witness absentee balloting as provided in this chapter, said application to be accompanied by such verifying affidavits as required by this chapter. The applications of persons having a temporary or permanent physical disability shall not be required to be accompanied by an affidavit but shall be witnessed and signed by a person eighteen (18) years of age or older. The registrar shall send to such absent voter a proper absentee voter ballot within twenty-four (24) hours, or as soon thereafter as the ballots are available, containing the names of all candidates who qualify or the proposition to be voted on in such election, and with such ballot there shall be sent an official envelope containing upon it in printed form the recitals and data hereinafter required.
(c) Except when the voter has requested a runoff ballot on the initial absentee ballot application, upon request for a runoff ballot pursuant to Section 23-15-719, the registrar shall mail together the absentee ballot application and the absentee ballot to the absent voter for the runoff election.
SECTION 8. Section 23-15-721, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-721. (1) Absentee ballots requested under the provisions of Section 23-15-715 for electors temporarily residing outside the county of residence shall be mailed to the elector's address outside of the county in which he or she is registered, and such electors shall appear before any official authorized to administer oaths or other official authorized to witness absentee balloting as provided in this article. The elector shall exhibit to such official his or her absentee ballot unmarked and thereupon proceed in secret to fill in the ballot. After the elector has properly marked the ballot and properly folded it, he or she shall deposit it in the envelope furnished him or her. After the elector has sealed the envelope he or she shall deliver it to the official before whom he or she is appearing and shall subscribe and swear to the elector's certificate provided for in Section 23-15-635, which affidavit shall be printed on the back of the envelope as provided for in Section 23-15-635 containing the elector's ballot.
(2) Electors who are temporarily or permanently physically disabled shall sign the elector's certificate and the certificate of attesting witness shall be signed by any person eighteen (18) years of age or older.
(3) After the completion of the requirements of this section, the elector shall mail the envelope containing the ballot to the registrar in the county wherein the elector is qualified to vote. The ballots must be postmarked by the date of the election and received by the registrar no more than five (5) business days after the election to be counted; any received after such time shall be handled as provided in Section 23-15-647 and shall not be counted.
SECTION 9. Section 23-15-649, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:
23-15-649. For all elections, the election officials shall prepare and print, as soon as the deadline for the qualification of candidates has passed or forty-five (45) days before the election, whichever is later, official ballots for each voting precinct to be known as absentee voter ballots, which ballots shall be prepared and printed in the same form and shall be of the same size and texture as the regular official ballot except that they shall be printed on tinted paper of a tint different from that of the regular official ballot or with a header of different tint.
SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.