TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE HONORABLE EDWARD H. LEVI SUBMISSION OF SENATE BILL NO. 2586 COMES NOW the Attorney General of the State of Mississippi, A. F. Summer, and submits to the Attorney General of the United States pursuant to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, 42 U.S.C. 1973c, Senate Bill No. 2586 of the Mississippi Legislature, 1975 Regular Session for his consideration and action; a certified copy of said Bill is attached hereto. Said Senate Bill No. 2586 was passed by the Mississippi Legislature on April 4, 1975; was approved by the Governor on April 8, 1975; and shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1975. Said Senate Bill No. 2586 amends Sections 23-5-303 and 23-5-305, Mississippi Code of 1972 to change the voter registration form and to conform the appeal procedures therefrom. Said Senate Bill No. 2586 does not have the purpose and will not have the effect of denying or abridg ing the right to vote on account of race or color. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, A. F. SUMMER ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF MISSISSIPPI State of Mississippi Office of Secretary of State Jackson I. Heber Ladner, Secretary of State of the State of Mississippi, do hereby certify that the within and attached is a true and correct copy of SENATE BILL NO. 2586, (Chapter No. 502), LAWS OF MISSISSIPPI, 1975 REGULAR SESSION, Chapter No. 502 Senate Bill No. 2586 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 23-5-303 AND 23-5-305, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CHANGE THE VOTER REGISTRATION FORM AND TO CONFORM THE APPEAL PROCEDURES THEREFROM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 23-5-303, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 23-5-303. (1) Applications for registration as electors of this state shall be made upon a form in the following words and figures: APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION (You may receive assistance in filling out this form from any person of your choosing. It is not necessary that this form be filled out in the presence of the Registrar, however, the oath must be executed in the presence of the Registrar or his deputy.) What is your full name? 1. 2. Give your Social Security number if known and available. 3. What is your date of birth, if known? 4. Are you a citizen of the United States? 5. What is your present residence address and each place you have resided during the past year, stating when you lived at each 52-004 075 14 (If you need additional space, use the back side of this form.) 8. Have you ever been convicted of the crire of murder, rape, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy? After you have answered 1 through 8 above, sign or make your mark on the following oath in the presence of the registrar or deputy registrar. STATE OF MISSISSIPPI COUNTY OF of I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am at least eighteen (18) years old (or I will be before the next general election in this county), and that I am now in good faith a resident of this state and election precinct in this county, and that I am not disqualified from voting by reason of having been convicted of any crime named in the Constitution of this state (as listed in question 8 of the Application) as a disqualification to be an elector; that I have truly answered all questions propounded to me in the foregoing application for registration, and that I will faithfully support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Mississippi, and will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. So help me God. S. B. No. 2586 Page 3 (2) The boards of supervisors are authorized to make proper allowances for office supplies reasonably necessitated by this act. (3) If the reply to question 7 above is affirmative, the registrar or clerk shall send notice of this new registration by certified mail to the registrar or clerk of the county stated in question 7. (4) Any person desiring an application for registration may secure the same from the registrar of the county of which he is a resident and may take said form with him and secure assistance in completing said form from any person of the applicant's choice. It shall be the duty of all registrars to furnish forms for registering to all persons requesting the same, and it shall likewise be his duty to furnish aid and assistance in the completing of said forms when requested by an applicant. No fee or cost shall be charged the applicant by the registrar or the election commission for accepting the application or administering the oath or for any other duty imposed by this act. SECTION 2. Section 23-5-305, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 23-5-305. In the event applicant is not registered, there shall be an automatic review by the county election commissioners under the procedures provided in Sections 23-5-59 through 23-5-71. In addition to the meetings of the election commissioners provided under said sections, the commissioners are required to hold such additional meetings to determine all pending cases of registration on review prior to the election at which the applicant desires to vote. It is not the purpose of this section to indicate the decision which should be reached by the election commissioners in certain cases, but to define which applicants should receive further examination by providing for an automatic review. |