Mississippi will implement a new absentee voting process starting with the November midterm elections, according to state Sen. Jeremy England, R-Vancleave. The legislation, House Bill 859, was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves and takes effect July 1.
The law eliminates the traditional envelope system used for absentee ballots. Instead, voters will fill out a printed ballot and cast it directly into an electronic voting machine, enabling instant vote counting on Election Day.
England said the change aims to increase efficiency and reduce delays in election results. “At 7 p.m. on Election Day, those votes will be tallied just like everyone else’s,” he said. “This will make the system work better and faster.”
The legislation was driven in part by concerns over election distrust. England noted a recent survey from the University of California San Diego’s Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections, which found that 40% of respondents doubted that votes would be accurately counted nationwide in the 2026 midterms.
Despite Mississippi’s restrictive mail-in and absentee voting laws, some voters remain concerned that a late influx of absentee ballots could influence election outcomes. England hopes the new process will reassure voters and provide timely results, reducing the perception that results are delayed or manipulated.
Early voting begins September 21, with absentee voting ending October 31. The November midterms are scheduled for Nov. 3. A list of candidates from March’s primaries who will appear on the ballot is available online.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
