Apportionment and Elections

HB 859 requires all in-person absentee ballots in Mississippi to be processed using optical mark reading (OMR) equipment at county election offices, with paper ballots as a backup if the equipment fails. The bill mandates that OMR equipment be sealed overnight, updates absentee ballot forms to print applications and voter certificates on a single sheet, and requires election officials to post a daily list of in-person voters. It also specifies that all ballots must be counted and reported on election night, and revises procedures for challenging voter qualifications during the voting process. These changes directly affect voters casting absentee ballots in person and election officials managing the voting process.

SB 2096 requires Mississippi's Department of Information and Technology Services (MDITS) and the Secretary of State to establish minimum cybersecurity standards for the Statewide Elections Management System (SEMS) by January 1, 2027. These standards aim to protect voter registration data and election integrity, directly affecting county registrars and election commissioners who use the SEMS. The bill mandates policies for system security, regular adherence assessments, confidentiality of data, and grants the State Auditor authority to review compliance. It also allows MDITS and the Secretary of State to request internal assessment results if needed.

SB 2589 modifies Mississippi's campaign finance reporting by requiring the Secretary of State to create and maintain a centralized, searchable public website for all campaign finance reports. This applies to candidates, candidate committees, and political committees filing reports for state, county, or municipal offices or ballot measures. The bill mandates that all reports - detailing contributions and expenditures - must be filed online through this system and made searchable by candidate, office, and financial details. It replaces current filing methods with local clerks by centralizing access under the Secretary of State, effective February 1, 2028.

SB 2386 prohibits Mississippi circuit court judges from allowing any political candidate to address the public during court sessions. It directly affects circuit court judges (who may no longer facilitate such speeches) and all political candidates (who are barred from speaking in court settings during terms). The key provision, stated in Section 1, bans judges from providing "any opportunity for any political candidate to address the public during court terms." This bill updates existing law (Section 23-15-973) to extend this prohibition broadly to all candidates, not just judicial office seekers. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Mississippi's SB 2587 creates the "In-Person Absentee Voting Act," establishing a 22-day in-person absentee voting period (beginning 22 days before an election and ending at 12:00 p.m. on the Saturday before election day). The bill removes the requirement for absentee ballots to be placed in envelopes when cast in person and mandates extended voting hours during the last full week before elections, including until 7:00 p.m. and on two Saturdays. Voters must present photo ID at their county registrar's office (or an adjacent government building) during specified hours, with notice posted in three public locations 8 days prior. This directly affects Mississippi voters who qualify for in-person absentee voting due to specific excuses like military service, residency, or other approved reasons.