Affidavit ballot; allow to serve as voter registration in certain situations.
HB 788 modifies Mississippi's election rules to allow voters who are not registered in the jurisdiction they are voting in (but are otherwise eligible) to cast an affidavit ballot. This ballot will be used as their official voter registration, adding them to the statewide voter rolls as if they had completed a standard registration form. The bill also allows the affidavit ballot to serve as a written request to transfer voting precincts or wards, and automatically reactivates voters who were placed on inactive status (due to a confirmation notice) after they cast such a ballot. These changes aim to streamline voter registration and address common issues at polling places.
Bill status
died
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 5, 2026
Last action Mar 3, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
As Introduced
→
Current version
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill modifies Mississippi's affidavit ballot procedures for voters who attempt to vote in the wrong jurisdiction. The key change restricts how these ballots are handled, preventing them from being counted in the election while still allowing them to serve as registration applications for future elections.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on affidavit ballot procedures, but the applicability of these ballots has been narrowed to exclude them from being counted in the current election.
ELIGIBILITY
Changed the treatment of affidavit ballots cast by voters in the wrong jurisdiction: they may no longer be counted in the election but can still be used to register voters for future elections.
REQUIREMENT
Removed language requiring affidavit ballots to be returned within five business days after the election, simplifying the submission timeline requirement.
Condensed the language regarding court-ordered extended polling times, removing the phrase 'or other order' while maintaining the same practical effect.
Floor votes · House Feb 4, 2026
How they voted
115–5
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 122
Feb 4, 2026
D
Democratic40
100% Yea
I
Independent2
100% Yea
R
Republican80
91% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
7
Key actions
3
Committee
3
Amendments
1
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Referred To Elections
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Introduced
Transmitted To Senate
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed As Amended
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
Title Suff Do Pass As Amended
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
Referred To Apportionment and Elections
lower
1 primary · 23 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Timaka James-Jones
DDemocratic
Co
Bryant Clark
DDemocratic
Co
Carl Mickens
DDemocratic
Co
Cedric Burnett
DDemocratic
Co
Cheikh Taylor
DDemocratic
Co
Daryl Porter
DDemocratic
Co
Fabian Nelson
DDemocratic
Co
Grace Butler-Washington
DDemocratic
Co
Greg Holloway
DDemocratic
Co
Gregory Elliott
DDemocratic
Co
Jansen Owen
RRepublican
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