# Mississippi HB 859: In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge. Mississippi HB 859, In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Noah Sanford (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-03-19 (Approved by Governor) (as of 2026-10-27). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB859-2026 - As of: 2026-10-27 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Mississippi HB 859 - State: Mississippi - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: In-person absentee voting; require use of OMR equipment and establish security measures and procedure to challenge. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-16 - Last action: 2026-03-19, Approved by Governor - Sponsor: Noah Sanford (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Apportionment and Elections, Elections, Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (170 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Election officials count ballots election night: benefit, low. Election officials process ballots on election day and count them after the polls close. They must finish counting ballots other than affidavit ballots that night, except for a primary with a different tabulating authority. Officials report the results before returning and sealing the ballot box. T… - Candidates and watchers can challenge voters: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, candidates can attend election locations or send authorized watchers. Watchers need written permission, and officials must provide a viewing and listening spot when possible. Candidates and watchers can challenge voters but cannot interfere with voting. Challenges can lead t… - Daily safeguards for absentee ballots: mixed, low. Registrars seal in-person absentee voting equipment at the end of each business day and keep a seal log and ballot count. They must store ballots securely, following rules from the Secretary of State. Registrars also post the names of people who voted in person each day. - In-person absentee voting uses scanners: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, in-person absentee voters use paper ballots that work with optical scanning equipment. Voters complete an application and certificate before voting, and anyone helping mark a ballot completes an assistance certificate. Registrars must repair or replace failed equipment, or d… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Noah Sanford (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed | pass | 51 | 1 | | | 2026-02-10 | House | Passed As Amended | pass | 119 | 1 | | ## Actions (13) - 2026-03-19: Approved by Governor (legislature) - 2026-03-12: Enrolled Bill Signed (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Enrolled Bill Signed (House) - 2026-03-11: Returned For Enrolling (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Passed (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Title Suff Do Pass (Senate) - 2026-02-26: DR - TSDP: EL To AC (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Referred To Elections;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Transmitted To Senate (House) - 2026-02-10: Passed As Amended (House) - 2026-02-10: Amended (House) - 2026-01-29: Title Suff Do Pass (House) - 2026-01-16: Referred To Apportionment and Elections (House) ## Bill text - Amendment No 1 (Adopted): [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_01.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_01.pdf) - Amendment No 2 (Adopted): [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_02.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_02.pdf) - As Introduced: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859IN.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859IN.pdf) - As Passed: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859PS.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859PS.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859SG.htm), [PDF](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859SG.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certain projects funded with monies from. (signed) - HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General. (signed) - SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of. (signed) - SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospitals. (signed) - SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special funds. (signed) - SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Authority. (signed) ## Sources - [Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_01.htm) - [Amendment No 1 (Adopted) (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_01.pdf) - [Amendment No 2 (Adopted) (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_02.htm) - [Amendment No 2 (Adopted) (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/ham/HB0859_H_Amend_02.pdf) - [As Introduced (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859IN.htm) - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859IN.pdf) - [As Passed (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859PS.htm) - [As Passed (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859PS.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0800-0899/HB0859SG.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/pdf/HB/0800-0899/HB0859SG.pdf) ## Related - [HB 1653: Local Improvements Project Fund and IHL Capital Improvements Fund; revise certa…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1653-2026) - [HB 1924: Appropriation; Attorney General.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB1924-2026) - [SB 3051: Appropriation; Finance and Administration, Department of.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3051-2026) - [SB 3110: Tax credits; authorize for contributions by certain taxpayers to certain hospit…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3110-2026) - [SB 2917: Budget; provide for various transfers of funds, and create various special fund…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB2917-2026) - [SB 3071: Appropriation; Gulf Coast Restoration Funds to the Mississippi Development Auth…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-SB3071-2026) - [Mississippi bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi/bills) - [Mississippi state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/mississippi) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MS-HB859-2026 (as of 2026-10-27).