Mississippi HB 28: Online voter registration; authorize for first-time registrants.

Bill Text

H. B. No. 28 *HR31/R776* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Apportionment and
Elections; Accountability,
Efficiency, Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2025

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 28

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-49, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO AUTHORIZE ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS; TO 2
AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-13, 23-15-35, 23-15-37, 23-15-39, 23-15-41 3
AND 23-15-79, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE 4
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-45, 5
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; 6
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-49, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
23-15-49. (1) A person may register to vote under this 11
section if the person is: 12
(a) Eligible to register to vote under Section 13
23-15-11; and 14
(b) Has a current and valid Mississippi driver's 15
license or photo identification card issued by the Mississippi 16
Department of Public Safety. 17
(2) A person described in subsection (1) of this section may 18
submit a voter registration application using the procedures set 19
forth in this section. 20

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( * * *3) (a) The Secretary of State shall, with the 21
support of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, establish 22
a secure Internet website to permit * * * persons described in 23
subsection (1) of this section to submit voter registration 24
applications. The form of the online application shall be 25
established by rule duly adopted by the Secretary of State. 26
(b) The secure website established under this 27
subsection shall allow a person described in subsection (1) of 28
this section to submit an application: 29
(i) For registration as a first-time voter in 30
Mississippi; or 31
(ii) To change the applicant's name, address or 32
other information set forth in the applicant's existing voter 33
registration record. 34
( * * *c) Upon the * * * submission of an application 35
through the secure website, the software used by the Secretary of 36
State for processing applications through the website shall 37
provide for verification that: 38
(i) The * * * applicant has a current and valid 39
Mississippi driver's license or photo identification card issued 40
by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the number for 41
that driver's license or photo identification card provided by the 42
applicant matches the number for the * * * applicant's driver's 43
license or photo identification card that is on file with the 44
Mississippi Department of Public Safety; 45

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(ii) The name and date of birth provided by 46
the * * * applicant matches the name and date of birth that is on 47
file with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; and 48
(iii) The applicant is a citizen of the State of 49
Mississippi and of the United States and the information provided 50
by the * * * applicant matches the information on file with the 51
Mississippi Department of Public Safety. 52
The application shall be reviewed by the county registrar of 53
the applicant's county of residence. If any of the required 54
information does not match that on file with the Mississippi 55
Department of Public Safety, or if the application is incomplete, 56
the * * * registration shall be rejected with the specific reason 57
or reasons for the rejection noted. The applicant shall have the 58
same right to automatic review of the rejected application as 59
provided in Sections 23-15-61 through 23-15-79 and shall be 60
notified of such review as provided in Section 23-15-45. 61
( * * *4) Any person who attempts to * * * register to vote 62
under this section shall be subject to the penalties for false 63
registration provided for in Section 97-13-25. 64
( * * *5) The Secretary of State and the Department of 65
Public Safety shall enter into a memorandum of understanding 66
providing for the sharing of information required to facilitate 67
the requirements of this section. 68
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 69
amended as follows: 70

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23-15-13. (1) An elector who moves from one (1) ward or 71
voting precinct to another ward within the same municipality or 72
voting precinct within the same county shall not be disqualified 73
to vote, but he or she shall be entitled to have his or her 74
registration transferred to his or her new ward or voting precinct 75
upon making a written or online request therefor at any time up to 76
thirty (30) days before the election at which he or she offers to 77
vote, and if the removal occurs within thirty (30) days of such 78
election he or she shall be entitled to vote in his or her new 79
ward or voting precinct by affidavit ballot as p