Earlier this week, the Mississippi Senate passed the “In-Person Early Voting Act,” a measure that would enact a 15-day “no excuse” in-person early voting window. Though the bill was authored by Republican Sen. Jeremy England and overwhelmingly approved by the GOP-controlled chamber, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has taken up arms against the legislation and its proponents.
Senate Bill 2654 would replace the current 45-day in-person absentee voting period, where voters need an official excuse, such as work or disability, to cast their ballot before the general election. It would bring the Magnolia State in line with 47 other states that allow in-person early voting with no excuse needed.
Sen. England, who chairs the Senate Elections Committee, said the consensus among circuit clerks and election leaders he spoke with in constructing the legislation is that an in-person early voting window would streamline the voting process.
“Look, if 47 other states are doing this, we’re ready. We can do this,” England said during an appearance on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. “In any of these states where it’s been implemented, it hasn’t changed a state from red to blue or vice versa. That just doesn’t happen. It just allows people the convenience to cast their vote – that’s very important to be able to do.”
But Gov. Reeves disagrees, pointing to what he believes would increase the risk for voter fraud in both local and statewide elections. A chief concern for the Republican governor is that the legislation is a “Democrat priority” and has labeled England as an “MVP” for Mississippi Democrats in authoring the bill.
I believe Mississippians want our elected leaders to make our elections more secure and make it harder to cheat – in fact, after the 2020 elections Republicans are demanding it!!
Unfortunately @JeremyEnglandMS
joined every Senate Democrat today to do the exact opposite with… https://t.co/WKicbh6B48
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) February 12, 2025
Though Sen. England has attempted to rebuff the governor’s criticism by pointing to pro-early voting tactics by
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