Bill Text: MS SB2352 | 2023 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Elections; penalty for fraudulently requesting or submitting absentee ballots.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 15-0)
Status: (Failed) 2023-03-27 - Died On Calendar [SB2352 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2023-SB2352-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Elections
By: Senator(s) Tate, Younger, Parks, Caughman, Chism, McDaniel, Williams, Suber, McLendon, Hill, Barrett, England
Senate Bill 2352
(As Passed the Senate)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-753, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PENALIZE ANY PERSON WHO FRAUDULENTLY REQUESTS OR SUBMITS AN APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 23-15-753, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
23-15-753. (1) Any person who willfully, knowingly, unlawfully and feloniously procures, seeks to procure, or seeks to influence the vote of any person voting by absentee ballot, by the payment of money, the promise of payment of money, or by the delivery of any other item of value or promise to give the voter any item of value, or by promising or giving the voter any favor or reward in an effort to influence his vote, or any person who aids, abets, assists, encourages, helps, or causes any person voting an absentee ballot to violate any provision of law pertaining to absentee voting, or any person who sells his vote for money, favor, or reward, has been paid or promised money, a reward, a favor or favors, or any other item of value, or any person who fraudulently and knowingly requests or submits an absentee ballot, or any person who shall willfully swear falsely to any affidavit provided for in Sections 23-15-621 through 23-15-735, shall be guilty of the crime of "vote fraud" and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for no more than one (1) year, or by both fine and imprisonment, or by being sentenced to the State Penitentiary for not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years.
(2) It shall be unlawful
for any person who pays or compensates another person for assisting voters in
marking their absentee ballots to base the pay or compensation on the number of
absentee voters assisted or the number of absentee ballots cast by persons who
have received the assistance. Any person who violates this section, upon
conviction, shall * * *, be fined not less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) nor
more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or imprisoned in the Penitentiary
not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years, or both.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.
