Mississippi SB 2549: Election results; prohibit the release of the number of votes cast for the Office of President of the United States.

Bill Text

SB2549 (As Introduced) - 2021 Regular Session 

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2021 Regular Session

To: Elections

By: Senator(s) Fillingane

Senate Bill 2549

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-591, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 
TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACTORS OF THIS STATE FROM 
RELEASING THE NUMBER OF VOTES CAST IN THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR THE OFFICE OF 
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES UNTIL AFTER THE TIMES SET BY LAW FOR THE 
MEETING AND VOTES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS IN ALL STATES; TO AUTHORIZE THE 
SECRETARY OF STATE TO RELEASE THE PERCENTAGE OF STATEWIDE VOTES CAST FOR EACH 
SET OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

���� SECTION 1.� Section 
23-15-591, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

���� 23-15-591.� (1)� When 
the votes have been completely and correctly counted and tallied by the poll 
managers they shall publicly proclaim the result of the election at their box 
and shall certify in duplicate a statement of the result, the certificate to be 
signed by the poll managers, one (1) of the certificates to be enclosed in the 
ballot box, and the other to be delivered to and to be kept by one (1) of the 
poll managers and to be inspected at any time by any voter who so requests.� 
When the count of the votes and the tally of the votes have been completed, the 
poll managers shall lock and seal the ballot box, having first placed therein 
all ballots voted, all spoiled ballots and all unused ballots.� There shall 
also be enclosed one (1) of the duplicate receipts given by the poll manager 
who received the blank ballots received for that box; and the total ballots 
voted, and the spoiled ballots, and the unused ballots must correspond in total 
with the duplicate receipt or else the failure thereof must be perfectly 
accounted for by a written statement, under oath of the poll managers, which 
statement must be enclosed in the ballot box.� There shall also be enclosed in 
the box the tally list, the receipt book containing the signed names of the 
voters who voted; and the number of ballots voted must correspond with the 
number of names signed in the receipt book.

���� (2)� Unless a recount has 
been requested under this chapter, a public officer, employee, or contractor of 
this state or of a political subdivision of this state may not release to the 
public the number of votes cast in the general election for the office of the 
President of the United States until after the times set by law for the 
meetings and votes of the presidential electors in all states.� After the votes 
for presidential electors are canvassed, the Secretary of State may release the 
percentage of statewide votes cast for each set of presidential electors to the 
nearest tenth of a percentage point, a list of presidential candidates in order 
of increasing or decreasing percentage of the vote received by presidential 
electors selected by the candidates, and the presidential candidate whose 
electors received the highest percentage of votes.

���� SECTION 2.� This act 
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.