House Bill 496

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-974, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE NONPARTISANSHIP FROM THE NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTION ACT; TO CREATE A NEW SECTION TO REQUIRE THAT CANDIDATES FOR JUDICIAL OFFICE BE SELECTED THROUGH NOMINATIONS MADE BY THE DIFFERENT PARTIES OF THIS STATE AT PRIMARY ELECTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-977, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE STATEMENT OF INTENT FILED BY JUDICIAL CANDIDATES TO INCLUDE THE PARTY FOR WHICH THE JUDICIAL CANDIDATE IS AFFILIATED; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-978, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT JUDICIAL OFFICE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT BE GROUPED TOGETHER AS NONPARTISAN; TO REQUIRE THAT THE NAME OF JUDICIAL OFFICE CANDIDATES SHALL NOT BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT IN GENERAL ELECTIONS UNLESS THEY WERE NOMINATED THROUGH A PARTY PRIMARY ELECTION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-979, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THAT THE NAME OF THE JUDICIAL CANDIDATE BE LISTED UNDER THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT THE CANDIDATE REPRESENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-981, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE JUDICIAL CANDIDATE WHO RECEIVES THE MAJORITY NUMBER OF VOTES CAST FOR THE JUDICIAL OFFICE SHALL BE THE NOMINEE OF HIS OR HER PARTY FOR THAT OFFICE; TO PROVIDE THE PROVISIONS FOR A RUNOFF ELECTION IF NO JUDICIAL OFFICE CANDIDATE RECEIVES A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-995, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL LAWS FOR THE ELECTION OF STATE OFFICERS SHALL APPLY TO AND GOVERN THE ELECTIONS OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-1015, 23-15-1021, 23-15-365, 23-15-359, 9-4-5, 23-15-291, 23-15-975, 23-15-197 AND 23-15-367, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO REPEAL SECTION 23-15-973, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH AUTHORIZES CANDIDATES FOR THE OFFICE OF JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT, JUDGES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, CIRCUIT JUDGE AND CHANCELLOR TO ADDRESS THE PEOPLE DURING COURT TERMS AND PROHIBITS THOSE CANDIDATES FROM ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH A POLITICAL PARTY; TO REPEAL SECTION 23-15-976, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT A JUDICIAL OFFICE IS A NONPARTISAN OFFICE AND PROVIDES THAT A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO A JUDICIAL OFFICE IS PROHIBITED FROM CAMPAIGNING OR QUALIFYING FOR THAT OFFICE BASED ON PARTY AFFILIATION; TO REPEAL SECTION 23-15-985, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THAT ALL QUALIFIED ELECTORS, REGARDLESS OF PARTY AFFILIATION OR LACK OF PARTY AFFILIATION, ARE QUALIFIED TO VOTE FOR CANDIDATES FOR NOMINATION FOR JUDICIAL OFFICE; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-977.1, 23-15-991, 23-15-993, 23-15-1011, 23-15-1023 AND 23-15-1025, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REGULATE THE JUDICIAL ELECTIONS ACT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-191 AND 23-15-193, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-293, 23-15-295, 23-15-296, 23-15-297, 23-15-299, 23-15-303, 23-15-305, 23-15-307 AND 23-15-317, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH REGULATE THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-331, 23-15-333 AND 23-15-363, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE FOR THE PREPARATION OF BALLOTS IN PRIMARY ELECTIONS AND OTHER ELECTIONS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-597, 23-15-599, 23-15-605 AND 23-15-607, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-833, 23-15-837, 23-15-839, 23-15-841 AND 23-15-849, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE FOR FILLING VACANCIES IN CERTAIN OFFICES, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 23-15-921, 23-15-923, 23-15-927, 23-15-929, 23-15-931, 23-15-933, 23-15-935, 23-15-937, 23-15-941, 23-15-951, 23-15-953, 23-15-961, 23-15-963 AND 23-15-980, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDE THE PROCEDURES FOR ELECTION CONTESTS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 23-15-1051, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES THE DUTIES OF THE STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• Greg Snowden

  Sponsor

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jan 13 – Jan 31

1. Jan 13Referred to the House committee on Judiciary A
2. Jan 31Died in committee in the House