Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB788: Affidavit ballot; allow to serve as voter registration in certain situations.
Status: Failed, March 3, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-573, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IF A VOTER WAS NOT A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH HE OR SHE TRIED TO VOTE BUT WAS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE JURISDICTION WHERE HE OR SHE TRIED TO VOTE, THE VOTER'S AFFIDAVIT BALLOT SHALL BE USED AS HIS OR HER REGISTRATION TO VOTE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CASTING OF A VALID AFFIDAVIT BALLOT MAY SERVE AS A WRITTEN REQUEST TO TRANSFER VOTING PRECINCTS OR WARDS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-152, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IF A VOTER WHO WAS MAILED A CONFIRMATION NOTICE AND PLACED ON INACTIVE STATUS IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CASTS AN AFFIDAVIT BALLOT, HE OR SHE SHALL BE RETURNED TO ACTIVE STATUS IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to amend section 23-15-573, mississippi code of 1972, to provide that if a voter was not a registered voter in the jurisdiction in which he or she tried to vote but was otherwise eligible to vote in the jurisdiction where he or she tried to vote, the voter's affidavit ballot shall be used as his or her registration to vote; to amend section 23-15-13, mississippi code of 1972, to provide that the casting of a valid affidavit ballot may serve as a written request to transfer voting precincts or wards…
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-573, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IF A VOTER WAS NOT A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH HE OR SHE TRIED TO VOTE BUT WAS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE JURISDICTION WHERE HE OR SHE TRIED TO VOTE, THE VOTER'S AFFIDAVIT BALLOT SHALL BE USED AS HIS OR HER REGISTRATION TO VOTE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CASTING OF A VALID AFFIDAVIT BALLOT MAY SERVE AS A WRITTEN REQUEST TO TRANSFER VOTING PRECINCTS OR WARDS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-152, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IF A VOTER WHO WAS MAILED A CONFIRMATION NOTICE AND PLACED ON INACTIVE STATUS IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CASTS AN AFFIDAVIT BALLOT, HE OR SHE SHALL BE RETURNED TO ACTIVE STATUS IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 23-15-573, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 23-15-573. (1) If any person declares that he or she is a registered voter in the jurisdiction in which he or she offers to vote and that he or she is eligible to vote in the election, but his or her name does not appear upon the pollbooks, or that he …