l9n/ Mississippi

2026 Regular Session

House Bill 949

Ballot box; prohibit the opening of and counting of votes until all of the polling places have closed.

Did not become law. It stopped in the House of Representatives's Apportionment and Elections Committee on February 3, 2026.

What it does

The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-581, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT NO BALLOT BOX SHALL BE OPENED AND NO BALLOTS SHALL BE COUNTED UNTIL ALL OF THE POLLING PLACES ARE CLOSED; TO PROVIDE THAT THE POLL MANAGERS SHALL NOT PUBLICLY BREAK THE SEAL AND OPEN THE BALLOT BOX TO COUNT THE BALLOTS UNTIL THE REGISTRAR HAS NOTIFIED THE POLL MANAGERS THAT ALL OF THE POLLING PLACES ARE CLOSED; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-591, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE POLL MANAGERS SHALL NOT ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION AT THEIR BOX UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE REGISTRAR THAT ALL OF THE POLLING PLACES HAVE COMPLETELY AND CORRECTLY COUNTED AND TALLIED THEIR VOTES; TO PROVIDE THAT ONCE THE REGISTRAR NOTIFIES ALL OF THE POLL MANAGERS, THEN THE POLL MANAGERS SHALL ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS OF THEIR VOTES SIMULTANEOUSLY; TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-15-517, 23-15-595, 23-15-519, 23-15-247 AND 23-15-639, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING SECTIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Sponsors

Who carried the bill in each chamber, and who signed on. Each name leads to the member's page.

In the House of Representatives

Its course

January 16 to February 3, 2026, on one scale. In the top row each mark is a day something happened; taller marks are busier days.

Each committee stop sits inside its chamber.

Every action2 actions on 2 days

In the House of RepresentativesJan 16 to Feb 3 · stopped18 days

Apportionment and ElectionsJan 16 to Feb 3 · stopped18 days

Text

Each version as the Legislature printed it.

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

What happened

In l9n's words, one line for each step. Every action as the Legislature published it is below.

In the House of Representatives Jan 16 – Feb 3

  1. Jan 16Referred to the House committee on Apportionment and Elections
  2. Feb 3Died in committee in the House
All 2 actions, as published
  1. Jan 16Referred To Apportionment and ElectionsHouse of Representatives
  2. Feb 3Died In CommitteeHouse of Representatives