HB 859 — In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge.
Last action — 03/19 Approved by Governor
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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✓Passed House
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✓Passed Senate
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 16, 2026. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Tate Reeves (Republican) on March 12, 2026.
Odds of enactment
High chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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1 sponsor
1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).
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Cleared a recorded vote
Passed 2 recorded votes so far.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-637, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAST IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR TO BE CAST USING THE OPTICAL MARK READING (OMR) EQUIPMENT; TO REQUIRE THE OMR EQUIPMENT TO BE SEALED AT NIGHT; TO REQUIRE THE USE OF PAPER BALLOTS IF THE OMR EQUIPMENT BECOMES INOPERABLE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-659, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE HOW THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS AND ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATES ARE PRINTED FOR ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT ARE CAST IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR; TO PRESCRIBE THE FORM FOR THE ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE FOR AN IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-639 AND 23-15-645, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-627, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE FORM OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-633, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-625, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE REGISTRAR TO CONSPICUOUSLY POST A LIST OF THOSE PERSONS VOTING IN-PERSON AT THE END OF VOTING EACH DAY; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-715, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ELECTORS VOTING BY ABSENTEE BALLOT IN-PERSON TO FEED THEIR BALLOTS INTO THE OMR EQUIPMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-719, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-507 AND 23-15-515, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE PROVISIONS RELATING TO OMR EQUIPMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-517, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL BALLOTS TO BE PROCESSED ON THE NIGHT OF AN ELECTION AND REPORTED TO THE TABULATION CENTER BEFORE THE BALLOT BOX IS SEALED; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-523, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-525, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-505, 23-15-511, 23-15-513, 23-15-519, 23-15-521 AND 23-15-581, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-591, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-595, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE TABULATING OF ALL RETURNS AND THE COUNTING OF ALL BALLOTS TO BE FINISHED ON THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-571, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRAR IN THE LIST OF PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO CHALLENGE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONS OFFERING TO VOTE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-577, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE CANDIDATES TO HAVE POLL WATCHERS PRESENT AT THE LOCATION OF THE ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-579, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE APPROPRIATE ELECTION OFFICIALS TO CONSIDER VOTES THAT ARE CHALLENGED; TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF THE CIRCUIT CLERK TO CAUSE A DAILY REPORT TABULATING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAST THAT DAY TO BE PRINTED BY THE OMR EQUIPMENT AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Bill Text
- Text View text Current pdf
Action History
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03/19 Approved by Governor
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03/12 (S) Enrolled Bill Signed
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03/12 (H) Enrolled Bill Signed
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03/11 (S) Returned For Enrolling
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03/10 (S) Passed
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03/03 (S) Title Suff Do Pass
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02/26 (S) DR - TSDP: EL To AC
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02/17 (S) Referred To Elections;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
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02/12 (H) Transmitted To Senate
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02/10 (H) Passed As Amended
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02/10 (H) Amended
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01/29 (H) Title Suff Do Pass
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01/16 (H) Referred To Apportionment and Elections
Sponsors
- Noah Sanford · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 174 not signed on · 2 voted No
Sponsors (1)
- Noah Sanford Republican
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (174)
174 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 174 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democrat | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 51 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 98% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (52)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Barnett | — | Yea |
| Blackmon | — | Yea |
| Blackwell | — | Yea |
| Boyd | — | Yea |
| Gillespie Isom | — | Yea |
| Jackson | — | Yea |
| Johnson | — | Yea |
| Ladner | — | Yea |
| Simmons D. T. (12th) | — | Yea |
| Simmons S. (13th) | — | Yea |
| Taylor | — | Yea |
| Thompson | — | Yea |
| Turner-Ford | — | Yea |
| Williams | — | Yea |
| Younger. Total | — | Yea |
| Albert Butler | Democrat | Yea |
| David Blount | Democrat | Yea |
| Gary Brumfield | Democrat | Yea |
| Hillman Terome Frazier | Democrat | Yea |
| Hob Bryan | Democrat | Yea |
| Johnny DuPree | Democrat | Yea |
| Joseph Thomas | Democrat | Yea |
| Justin Pope | Democrat | Yea |
| Kamesha Mumford | Democrat | Yea |
| Rod Hickman | Democrat | Yea |
| Sollie B. Norwood | Democrat | Yea |
| Andy Berry | Republican | Yea |
| Angela Burks Hill | Republican | Nay |
| Benjamin Suber | Republican | Yea |
| Brian Rhodes | Republican | Yea |
| Brice Wiggins | Republican | Yea |
| Briggs Hopson | Republican | Yea |
| Chad McMahan | Republican | Yea |
| Daniel H. Sparks | Republican | Yea |
| Dean Kirby | Republican | Yea |
| Dennis DeBar, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Don Hartness | Republican | Yea |
| J. Walter Michel | Republican | Yea |
| Jason Barrett | Republican | Yea |
| Jeff Tate | Republican | Yea |
| Jeremy England | Republican | Yea |
| Joel R. Carter, Jr. | Republican | Yea |
| Joey Fillingane | Republican | Yea |
| Joseph M. Seymour | Republican | Yea |
| Josh Harkins | Republican | Yea |
| Kathy L. Chism | Republican | Yea |
| Lydia Graves Chassaniol | Republican | Yea |
| Michael McLendon | Republican | Yea |
| Neil S. Whaley | Republican | Yea |
| Rita Potts Parks | Republican | Yea |
| Scott DeLano | Republican | Yea |
| Tyler McCaughn | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 64 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Unaffiliated | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democrat | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 120 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| % of votes cast | 98% | 1% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (123)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson (110th) | — | Yea |
| Anderson (122nd) | — | Yea |
| Bailey (23rd) | — | Yea |
| Bailey (49th) | — | Yea |
| Barnett | — | Yea |
| Bell (21st) | — | Yea |
| Bell (65th) | — | Yea |
| Blackmon | — | Yea |
| Blackwell | — | Yea |
| Boyd (19th) | — | Yea |
| Boyd (37th) | — | Yea |
| Washington | — | Yea |
| Ford (54th) | — | Yea |
| Ford (73rd) | — | Yea |
| Gibbs (36th) | — | Yea |
| Gibbs (72nd) | — | Yea |
| Holloway (27th) | — | Yea |
| Holloway (76th) | — | Yea |
| Jackson (11th) | — | Yea |
| Jackson (45th) | — | Yea |
| Johnson | — | Yea |
| Ladner | — | Yea |
| Taylor | — | Yea |
| Thompson | — | Yea |
| Williams | — | Yea |
| Mr. Speaker | — | Yea |
| Albert Butler | Democrat | Yea |
| Bo Brown | Democrat | Yea |
| Bob Evans | Democrat | Yea |
| Bryant W. Clark | Democrat | Yea |
| Carl Mickens | Democrat | Yea |
| Cedric Burnett | Democrat | Yea |
| Daryl Porter | Democrat | Yea |
| Earle S. Banks | Democrat | Yea |
| Fabian Nelson | Democrat | Yea |
| Gregory Elliott | Democrat | Yea |
| Hester Jackson McCray | Democrat | Yea |
| Jeffery Harness | Democrat | Yea |
| Jeffrey Hulum III | Democrat | Yea |
| John G. Faulkner | Democrat | Yea |
| John W. Hines, Sr. | Democrat | Yea |
| Justin Crosby | Democrat | Yea |
| Kabir Karriem | Democrat | Yea |
| Omeria Scott | Democrat | Yea |
| Oscar Denton | Democrat | Yea |
| Otis Anthony | Democrat | Yea |
| Percy W. Watson | Democrat | Yea |
| Robert L. Sanders | Democrat | Yea |
| Ronnie C. Crudup | Democrat | Yea |
| Solomon C. Osborne | Democrat | Yea |
| Stephanie Foster | Democrat | Yea |
| Timaka James-Jones | Democrat | Yea |
| Tracey T. Rosebud | Democrat | Yea |
| Zakiya Summers | Democrat | Yea |
| Angela Cockerham | Independent | Yea |
| Shanda Yates | Independent | Yea |
| Becky Currie | Republican | Yea |
| Beth Luther Waldo | Republican | Yea |
| Bill Kinkade | Republican | Yea |
| Bill Pigott | Republican | Yea |
| Billy Adam Calvert | Republican | Yea |
| Brad Mattox | Republican | Yea |
| Brent Powell | Republican | Yea |
| C. Scott Bounds | Republican | Yea |
| Carolyn Crawford | Republican | Yea |
| Casey Eure | Republican | Yea |
| Celeste Hurst | Republican | Yea |
| Clay Deweese | Republican | Yea |
| Clay Mansell | Republican | Yea |
| Dan Eubanks | Republican | Yea |
| Dana McLean | Republican | Yea |
| Donnie Scoggin | Republican | Yea |
| Elliot Burch | Republican | Yea |
| Fred Shanks | Republican | Yea |
| Gene Newman | Republican | Yea |
| Greg Haney | Republican | Yea |
| Henry Zuber III | Republican | Yea |
| Jansen Owen | Republican | Not Voting |
| Jay McKnight | Republican | Yea |
| Jeff Hale | Republican | Yea |
| Jeffrey S. Guice | Republican | Yea |
| Jerry R. Turner | Republican | Yea |
| Jim Estrada | Republican | Yea |
| Jimmy Fondren | Republican | Yea |
| Jody Steverson | Republican | Not Voting |
| Joey Hood | Republican | Yea |
| John Read | Republican | Yea |
| John Thomas "Trey" Lamar, III | Republican | Yea |
| Jonathan McMillan | Republican | Yea |
| Joseph Tubb | Republican | Yea |
| Josh Hawkins | Republican | Yea |
| Justin Keen | Republican | Yea |
| Karl Oliver | Republican | Yea |
| Ken Morgan | Republican | Yea |
| Kent McCarty | Republican | Yea |
| Kevin Felsher | Republican | Yea |
| Kevin Horan | Republican | Yea |
| Kimberly Remak | Republican | Yea |
| Lance Varner | Republican | Yea |
| Larry Byrd | Republican | Yea |
| Lee Yancey | Republican | Yea |
| Lester Carpenter | Republican | Yea |
| Manly Barton | Republican | Yea |
| Mark Tullos | Republican | Yea |
| Missy McGee | Republican | Yea |
| Noah Sanford | Republican | Yea |
| Price Wallace | Republican | Yea |
| Randy Rushing | Republican | Yea |
| Richard Bennett | Republican | Yea |
| Rob Roberson | Republican | Yea |
| Rodney Hall | Republican | Yea |
| Sam C. Mims, V | Republican | Yea |
| Sam Creekmore IV | Republican | Yea |
| Shane Aguirre | Republican | Yea |
| Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes | Republican | Nay |
| Stephen A. Horne | Republican | Yea |
| Steve Lott | Republican | Yea |
| Steve Massengill | Republican | Yea |
| Troy Smith | Republican | Yea |
| Vince Mangold | Republican | Yea |
| W.I. "Doc" Harris | Republican | Yea |
| William Tracy Arnold | Republican | Yea |
| Zachary Grady | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does HB 859 do?
- AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-637, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAST IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR TO BE CAST USING THE OPTICAL MARK READING (OMR) EQUIPMENT; TO REQUIRE THE OMR EQUIPMENT TO BE SEALED AT NIGHT; TO REQUIRE THE USE OF PAPER BALLOTS IF THE OMR EQUIPMENT BECOMES INOPERABLE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-659, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE HOW THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS AND ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATES ARE PRINTED FOR ALL ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT ARE CAST IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR; TO PRESCRIBE THE FORM FOR THE ELECTOR'S CERTIFICATE FOR AN IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-639 AND 23-15-645, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-627, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE FORM OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-633, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-625, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE REGISTRAR TO CONSPICUOUSLY POST A LIST OF THOSE PERSONS VOTING IN-PERSON AT THE END OF VOTING EACH DAY; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-715, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ELECTORS VOTING BY ABSENTEE BALLOT IN-PERSON TO FEED THEIR BALLOTS INTO THE OMR EQUIPMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-719, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-507 AND 23-15-515, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE PROVISIONS RELATING TO OMR EQUIPMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-517, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL BALLOTS TO BE PROCESSED ON THE NIGHT OF AN ELECTION AND REPORTED TO THE TABULATION CENTER BEFORE THE BALLOT BOX IS SEALED; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-523, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-525, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-505, 23-15-511, 23-15-513, 23-15-519, 23-15-521 AND 23-15-581, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-591, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-595, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE TABULATING OF ALL RETURNS AND THE COUNTING OF ALL BALLOTS TO BE FINISHED ON THE NIGHT OF THE ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-571, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRAR IN THE LIST OF PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO CHALLENGE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONS OFFERING TO VOTE; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-577, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE CANDIDATES TO HAVE POLL WATCHERS PRESENT AT THE LOCATION OF THE ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-579, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE APPROPRIATE ELECTION OFFICIALS TO CONSIDER VOTES THAT ARE CHALLENGED; TO DIRECT THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF THE CIRCUIT CLERK TO CAUSE A DAILY REPORT TABULATING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF IN-PERSON ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAST THAT DAY TO BE PRINTED BY THE OMR EQUIPMENT AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
- Who sponsors HB 859?
- HB 859 is sponsored by Noah Sanford (Republican).
- What is the current status of HB 859?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 16, 2026. Enacted.
- Where can I track HB 859?
- Track HB 859 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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