Absentee ballots; change receipt deadline for.
SB 2067 changes Mississippi’s absentee voting rules by moving the deadline for receiving absentee mail-in ballots to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Under current law referenced in the bill, many absentee ballots could be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received up to five business days afterward; this bill would require those ballots to be in the registrar’s hands by the close of polls on Election Day, whether delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or a common carrier such as UPS or FedEx. The bill also updates related provisions governing ballot instructions, ballot handling, signature review, and the timing of absentee ballot counting and announcement so the code sections are consistent with the new deadline.
The measure preserves existing absentee ballot procedures for in-person absentee voting, witness requirements, assistance for voters with disabilities or limited literacy, and special rules for military and overseas voters, while clarifying that absentee ballots remain in the registrar’s office and are not sent to precinct polling places. It also keeps the five-business-day post-election processing window for ballots that are timely received, but only for ballots that arrive by the new Election Day deadline. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 2067 amends Sections 23-15-631, 23-15-637, 23-15-639, 23-15-651, and 23-15-721 of the Mississippi Code to tighten the receipt deadline for absentee mail ballots and conform related counting and reporting procedures. The practical effect is to shorten the time available for mailed absentee ballots to arrive and be counted, while leaving intact the existing five-business-day period for processing ballots received on time. It affects county registrars, election officials, absentee voters, common carriers, and voters using mail-in absentee voting, including voters who are elderly, disabled, or temporarily residing outside their county.
The available record shows no committee transcript and no recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or formal opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as an election administration and ballot-integrity change, with an emphasis on uniform deadlines and clearer handling rules. The overall tone in the bill is procedural and regulatory rather than expansive or controversial in its drafting.
The main point of contention likely concerns the shortened absentee ballot receipt deadline. Supporters would likely view the change as improving certainty, uniformity, and election-night finality, while opponents could argue it makes voting by mail harder for voters who rely on postal delivery, including rural voters, military voters, disabled voters, and those who return ballots close to Election Day. Another possible issue is the bill’s explicit allowance for common carriers but still requiring receipt by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, which may be seen as reducing flexibility compared with a postmark-based deadline.