Mississippi
Mississippi maintains strict laws to ensure secure and honest elections for its citizens. State regulations include the allowance of poll watchers and stringent anti-voter intimidation laws.
Poll Watchers
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Poll watchers in the state may be designated by political parties and candidates whose name appears on the ballot in the precinct. Each candidate may be represented by two credentialed poll watchers. They are not permitted to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election or influence a voter in casting his or her ballot. Miss. Code § 23-15-577.
To be eligible to serve as a poll watcher, a person:
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must be credentialed by a candidate or political party that has a candidate on the ballot.
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must be authorized in writing to act as the representative of a candidate on the ballot
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must present the written authorization to a poll manager by the certified poll watcher upon arrival at the polling place
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Anti-Voter Intimidation Laws
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According to Mississippi law, voter intimidation and coercion are strictly prohibited. Two methods of intimidation in the state each receive its own form of punishment.
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the use of force or threats is punishable by prison for at least one year, or a fine not to exceed $3,000, or both.
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to utilize the requirements to provide voter identification to intimidate a voter is punishable by prison for not more than 5 years, or a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both.
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Mississippi laws have been very effective at protecting honest and secure elections. Only one Mississippi election has ever been overturned because of voter fraud, and it was caught and dealt with swiftly under current policies.
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Latest Legislation
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Despite already strict voting laws, new restrictive legislation will make it more difficult for Mississippi citizens to vote. This includes taking aim at mail-in voting, a method frequently used by veterans and the elderly, with proposals to circumscribe who can vote by mail, make it harder to obtain mail ballots, and impose hurdles to complete and cast mail ballots.
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For more information on Mississippi voting laws, click here.