HB 177 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

In-person absentee voting; authorize to be conducted using OMR equipment.

Mississippi's HB 177 requires that all in-person absentee ballots cast at a registrar's office must be processed using optical mark reading (OMR) equipment, replacing paper ballots for this method. The bill mandates that OMR equipment be sealed nightly, switches to paper ballots if the equipment fails, and revises how absentee ballot applications and voter certifications are printed on a single form. It also changes processing rules to allow ballot counting to begin Monday before an election but requires all absentee ballot results to be announced simultaneously with Election Day votes. This directly affects voters casting absentee ballots in person and election officials managing registrar offices.

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 14, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Mississippi absentee voting procedures to clarify when ballot processing and counting can begin, update ballot envelope requirements, and adjust record retention periods. The changes aim to streamline election administration while maintaining ballot security and transparency standards.

Scope change

The bill applies to all Mississippi elections involving absentee ballots, including federal, state, and local elections.

TIMELINE

Processing of absentee ballots may now begin on the Monday before the election, but ballots must be announced simultaneously with all other votes cast on Election Day, and counting must be finished on Election Night.

REQUIREMENT

Updated absentee ballot envelope requirements to specify minimum size (8.5x11 inches) and standardized text for signature verification warnings.

Changed ballot retention periods: federal and presidential elections require 22 months retention, while other elections require 4 months.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded who can request absentee ballot applications to include parents, children, spouses, siblings, legal guardians, power of attorney holders, and designated agents.

TECHNICAL

Removed references to 'absentee ballot envelope OMR equipment' as a separate entity, clarifying that ballots are sealed in envelopes before OMR scanning.

Removed the requirement for disabled voters to have applications notarized, simplifying the application process for those unable to write.

Reformatted several application sections to improve readability and consistency in the absentee ballot application form.

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill amends Mississippi election laws to require in-person absentee voters to use Optical Mark Reading (OMR) equipment at the registrar's office, mandates sealing of OMR equipment nightly, and establishes new procedures for ballot counting and tabulation. The changes also revise absentee ballot application forms to combine applications and elector certificates on a single envelope, update eligibility criteria for mail-in ballots, and bring forward several sections for potential future amendments.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of OMR equipment requirements to include all in-person absentee voting at registrar offices, previously not explicitly required, and modifies the handling and counting procedures for both mail-in and in-person absentee ballots.

REQUIREMENT

Requires all absentee ballots cast in person at the registrar's office to be cast using OMR equipment, with the equipment sealed each night and paper ballots used as backup if OMR equipment fails.

Changes how absentee ballot applications and elector certificates are printed, now appearing on the same envelope form with application on the front and certificates on the back.

Requires ballot boxes to remain sealed until all votes for a precinct have been counted and reported to the tabulation center.

Adds new requirements for voter assistance documentation when someone helps mark a ballot, including a certificate form that must be completed.

Requires resolution board members to complete training sessions within 12 months before serving on the board.

Updates procedures for handling damaged, defective, or overvoted ballots, including specific rules for determining voter intent.

Mandates that OMR equipment be tested before ballot counting begins with representatives from political parties, candidates, press, and public able to witness the test.

TIMELINE

Allows processing and counting of absentee ballots to begin on the Monday before election day, but requires all absentee ballots to be announced simultaneously with other votes on election day.

ELIGIBILITY

Updates eligibility criteria for mail-in absentee ballots and clarifies that absentee votes cast in person are final and prevent voting at the polling place on election day.

DEFINITION

Revises the form of absentee ballot applications to include specific eligibility categories and warning statements about penalties for false statements.

Floor votes · House Feb 11, 2025

How they voted

114–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 119

Feb 11, 2025

D Democratic39

39 Yea

100% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican78

73 Yea 5

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Referred To Elections

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

lower

Jan 10, 2025

Committee

Referred To Apportionment and Elections

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors