Voter Identification
All Initiatives   
Subject Matter:
Voter Identification  (See Comments)

Original Filing:
VOTER IDENTIFICATION INITIATIVE (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2), A qualified elector who votes in a primary or general election, either in person at the polls or in person in the office of the circuit clerk, shall present a government issued photo identification before being allowed to vote. (b) A qualified elector who does not have a government issued photo identification and who cannot afford such identification may obtain a state issued photo identification free of charge from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The elector must show appropriate identifying documents required by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety as provided by law. (2) (a) An elector living and voting in a state-licensed care facility shall not be required to show a government issued photo identification before being allowed to vote. (b) An elector who has a religious objection to being photographed will be allowed to cast an affidavit ballot, and the elector, within five days after the election, shall execute an affidavit in the appropriate circuit clerk's office affirming that the exemption applies. (c) An elector who has a government issued photo identification, but is unable to present that identification when voting, shall file an affidavit ballot, and the elector, within five days after the election, shall present the government issued photo identification to the appropriate circuit clerk. (3) This provision shall not be construed to require photo identification to register to vote. This provision only requires government issued photo identification for casting a ballot. (4) The Legislature shall enact legislation to implement the provisions of this section of the constitution. Depending on the level of participation, these free photo identifications could cost the State of Mississippi up to $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars) to be paid from the State General Fund. This would be a reduction of the same amount of revenue to the State of Mississippi as these photo identification cards presently are charged for and collected by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

Proposed Ballot Title:
Should the Mississippi Constitution be amended to require a person to submit government issued photo identification in order to vote?

Proposed Ballot Summary:
Initiative #27 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to require voters to submit a government issued photo identification before being allowed to vote; provides that any voter lacking government issued photo identification may obtain photo identification without charge from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; and exempts certain residents of state-licensed care facilities and religious objectors from being required to show photo identification in order to vote.

Initiative Petition:
Click here to view Initiative Petition

Sponsor:
Senator Joey Fillingane
Address:
PO Box 1018
Jackson MS 39215-1018


Status:
Passed

Town Meeting Location:
N/A

Initiative Information:
The official ballot title and ballot summary for an initiative measure are prepared by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. Initiative measures are valid for one year. During this one-year period, a petition may be circulated to place the measure on the next statewide general election ballot to allow the voters of Mississippi to determine whether the measure should become a part of the Mississippi Constitution. According to Mississippi law, for an initiative measure to be placed on the ballot, a minimum of 106,190 certified signatures must be gathered, with at least 21,238 certified signatures from each of the five congressional districts as they existed in the year 2000. This required number of signatures represents twelve percent (12%) of the total number of votes cast for Governor in the last gubernatorial general election. Signatures must be certified by county circuit clerks as belonging to registered voters in Mississippi. A completed petition should be filed with Secretary of State, together with a filing fee of $500.00. For more information on the initiative process in Mississippi, consult the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, Section 273, and Mississippi Code Annotated §§ 23-17-1 through 23-17-61 (1972).

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