Bill Text: MS HB925 | 2015 | Regular Session | Engrossed

---

Bill Title: Elections; require use of certain equipment to seal ballot boxes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2015-03-03 - Died In Committee [HB925 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2015-HB925-Engrossed.html

---

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Apportionment and Elections

By: Representative Moak

House Bill 925

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-595, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT BALLOT BOXES USED IN POLITICAL ELECTIONS SHALL HAVE A LOCK WITH A METAL OR PLASTIC SEAL ENGRAVED OR PERMANENTLY STAMPED WITH A UNIQUE NUMERIC IDENTIFIER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 23-15-595, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     23-15-595.  The box containing the ballots and other records required by this chapter shall, as soon as practical after the ballots have been counted, be delivered by one (1) of the precinct managers to the clerk of the circuit court of the county and * * * said the clerk shall, in the presence of the manager making delivery of the box, place upon the lock of such box a metal or plastic seal engraved or permanently stamped with a unique numeric identifier, which such seal shall be manufactured to conform to the design of the ballot box * * *similar to the seal commonly used in sealing the doors of railroad freight cars.  * * * Such The seals shall be numbered consecutively to the number of ballot boxes used in the election in the county, and the clerk shall keep in a place separate from * * * such the boxes a record of the number of the seal of each separate box in the county.  The board of supervisors of the county shall pay the cost of providing * * * such the seals.  Upon demand of the chairman of the county executive committee in the case of primary elections, or the county election commissioner in the case of other elections, the boxes and their contents shall be delivered to the county executive committee, or the county election commission, as appropriate, and after * * * suchthe committee or commission, as appropriate, has finished the work of tabulating returns and counting ballots as required by law, the * * * saidcommittee or commission, as appropriate, shall return all papers and ballots to the box of the precinct where such election was held, and it shall make redelivery of * * * suchthe boxes and their contents to the circuit clerk who shall reseal * * * saidthe boxes.  Upon every occasion * * * saidthe boxes shall be reopened and each resealing shall be done as provided in this chapter.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.

---