Legislation has been authored to modernize the way first-time voters can register to cast a ballot in Mississippi.
Mississippi is one of just seven states without online voter registration. Rep. Zakiya Summers is looking to change that this year. The Democratic lawmaker from Jackson introduced House Bill 753 on Wednesday to allow first-time voters to register via an online platform. The process would only apply to qualified Mississippians possessing valid state identification.
Under Summers’ proposal, the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office, which oversees elections, would be tasked with collaborating with the Department of Public Safety to create and manage an online portal to process applications from prospective voters seeking to make an inaugural appearance at the ballot box.
There is also an educational component to the bill. Each Mississippi county would be required to provide all public schools with instructions for submitting an online voter application as well as mail-in applications. This would be done in both semesters of the academic calendar, especially before notable primary and general elections.
Each public school in Mississippi would have to welcome the county registrar or their deputy to register persons who are eligible to vote and to provide voter education. The goal is to help get young people out to vote as soon as they turn 18 or have the first opportunity to exercise their constitutional right.
Per the bill, online applications must be submitted at least 30 days before an election, unless the 30th day falls on a Sunday or legal holiday. Under those circumstances, the applicant would have one extra business day to fill out the online document. Once an application is submitted, county registrars would be required to review it and determine whether or not to accept the document.
If an application is given the green light, the county registrar would mail a written letter notifying the applicant that he or she is eligible to vote, along with county and polling precinct information. That letter would operate as the individual’s legal voter registration card.
An online voter application would be rejected if:
An incomplete
Read original article by clicking here.