Bill Amendment: MS HB859 | 2026 | Regular Session
Bill Title: In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge.
Status: 2026-03-19 - Approved by Governor [HB859 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-HB859-House_Amendment_No_2.html
Adopted
AMENDMENT NO 2 PROPOSED TO
House Bill No. 859
BY: Representative Sanford
AMEND on line 101 by inserting immediately after the word "application" the language "and the elector's certificate".
AMEND FURTHER on line 103 through 105 by deleting the following sentence: "After the OMR equipment has scanned the ballot, the elector shall complete the elector's certificate."
AMEND FURTHER by inserting the following after line 105:
For the in-person absentee ballot application form, the elector�s certificate and other certificates shall appear as follows:
�ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE
STATE OF _____
COUNTY OF _____
I, _____, under penalty of perjury do solemnly swear that I am authorized by law to cast an in-person absentee ballot and the ballot cast by me indicates my choice of the candidates or contests to be submitted at the election to be held on the ___ day of _____, 2___.
Penalties for vote fraud are up to five (5) years in prison and a fine of up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), as provided in Section 23-15-753, Mississippi Code of 1972. Penalties for voter intimidation are up to one (1) year in jail and a fine of up to One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), as provided in Section 97-13-37, Mississippi Code of 1972.
_______________________________
(Signature of Voter)
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED before me, this the ___ day of __________, _____.
_______________________________
(Registrar or Deputy Clerk)
CERTIFICATE OF PERSON PROVIDING VOTER ASSISTANCE
(To be completed only if the voter has requested assistance in marking their ballot.) I, under penalty of perjury, hereby certify that the above-named voter declared to me that he or she is blind, temporarily or permanently physically disabled, or cannot read or write, and that the voter requested that I assist the voter in marking the enclosed absentee ballot. I hereby certify that the ballot preferences on the ballot are those communicated by the voter to me, and that I will mark the ballot in accordance with the voter's instructions.
Penalties for vote fraud are up to five (5) years in prison and a fine of up to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), as provided in Section 23-15-753, Mississippi Code of 1972. Penalties for voter intimidation are up to one (1) year in jail and a fine of up to One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), as provided for in Section 97-13-37, Mississippi Code of 1972.
__________________________________________
(Signature of person providing assistance)
_____________________________________________
(Printed name of person providing assistance)
_____________________________________________
(Address of person providing assistance)
_____________________________________________
(Date and time assistance provided)"
AMEND FURTHER on lines 303 and 304 by deleting the language "printed on the front of the absentee ballot".
AMEND FURTHER on line 304 by inserting immediately after the word "form" the word "printed".
AMEND FURTHER on line 393 by inserting immediately after "23-15-659" the following: "no less than forty-five (45) days before the election".
AMEND FURTHER on line 539 by deleting the language "and properly folded it".
AMEND FURTHER by deleting lines 639 and 640 in their entirety and line 641 through the period.
AMEND FURTHER on line 652 by striking the word "amended" and inserting in lieu therof "brought forward".
AMEND FURTHER on line 820 by deleting the language "and before the absentee voting period begins".
AMEND FURTHER on line 1044 by inserting immediately after the word "ballots" the language "other than affidavit ballots".
AMEND FURTHER THE TITLE on line 9 by inserting the following immediately after the semicolon: "TO PRESCRIBE THE FORM FOR THE ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE FOR AN IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION;".
AMEND FURTHER THE TITLE on line 26 by inserting the following immediately after the semicolon: "TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-523, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT;".
AMEND FURTHER THE TITLE on line 26 by striking the language "SECTIONS 23-15-523 AND" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "SECTION".
