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Mississippi signature requirements
 (By state) |
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Contents |
Federal offices
U.S. Senate
Partisan candidates for U.S. Senate must submit a $300 qualifying fee, a completed statement of intent for a candidate for party nomination. The filing fee for partisan candidates is paid to their respective state executive committee’s secretary.[1]
Independent candidates for U.S. Senate must submit a qualifying statement of intent and a petition including no less than 1,000 signatures.[1]
U.S. House
Partisan candidates for U.S. House must submit a $200 qualifying fee, a completed statement of intent for a candidate for party nomination. The filing fee for partisan candidates is paid to their respective state executive committee’s secretary.[1]
Independent candidates for U.S. House must submit a qualifying statement of intent and a petition including no less than 200 signatures.[1]
Filing deadlines
2012
The filing deadline for U.S. Senate and U.S. House was January 13, 2012.[1]
State offices
Statewide executive offices
Governor
Partisan candidates for Governor of Mississippi must be resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of election. The Filing Fee for partisan candidates is $300 and should be made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.[2]
Independent candidates for Governor of Mississippi must be a resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of the next election. Candidates must also submit a petition with at least 1,000 signatures. No filing fee is required of Independent candidates.[2]
Lieutenant Governor
Partisan candidates for Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi must be resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of election. The Filing Fee for partisan candidates is $200 and should be made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.[2]
Independent candidates for Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi must be a resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of the next election. Candidates must also submit a petition with at least 1,000 signatures. No filing fee is required of Independent candidates.[2]
Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner
Partisan candidates for Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner must be resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of election. The Filing Fee for partisan candidates is $200 and should be made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.[2]
Independent candidates for Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner must be a resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of the next election. Candidates must also submit a petition with at least 1,000 signatures. No filing fee is required of Independent candidates.[2]
Attorney General
Partisan candidates for Attorney General of Mississippi must be resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of election. The Filing Fee for partisan candidates is $200 and should be made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.[2]
Independent candidates for Attorney General of Mississippi must be a resident of Mississippi for at least five years preceding the day of the next election. Candidates must also submit a petition with at least 1,000 signatures. No filing fee is required of Independent candidates.[2]
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
The Filing Fee for partisan candidates is $200 and should be made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.[2]
Independent candidates must submit a petition with at least 1,000 signatures. No filing fee is required of Independent candidates.[2]
State legislature
State Senate
Partisan candidates for State Senate must submit a $15 qualifying fee, a completed statement of intent for a candidate for party nomination, and fulfill residency requirements. They must have been an actual resident of the district or territory represented for two years before the election. The filing fee for partisan candidates is paid to the appropriate state party executive committee.[1][2]
Independent candidates for State Senate must submit a petition with no less than 50 signatures. No filing fee is required. Candidates should submit certified petition to Secretary of State. Independent candidates must also fulfill residency requirements. They have been an actual resident of the district or territory represented for two years before the election.[2]
State House
Partisan candidates for State House must submit a $15 qualifying fee, a completed statement of intent for a candidate for party nomination, and fulfill residency requirements. They must have been an actual resident of the district or territory represented for two years before the election. The filing fee for partisan candidates is paid to the appropriate state party executive committee.[1][2]
Independent candidates for State House must submit a petition with no less than 50 signatures. No filing fee is required. Candidates should submit certified petition to Secretary of State. Independent candidates must also fulfill residency requirements. They have been an actual resident of the district or territory represented for two years before the election.[2]
Filing deadlines
2012
Mississippi did not hold any state legislative elections or state executive elections in 2012.
Ballot measures
Signature requirements in Mississippi are a function of how many votes were cast for Governor of Mississippi in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. The state also has a geographic distribution requirement.
Mississippi only allows initiated constitutional amendments. Initiative or referendum for statutes is not permitted.
Signature requirements
Current Requirements
According to Mississippi law, the number of signatures collected must be equal to at least 12% of the total number of votes cast for Governor in the last gubernatorial general election.[3]
| Year | Initiated constitutional amendment |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 107,216 |
| 2012 | 107,216 |
| 2008 | 89,285 |
| 2004 | 107,338 |
See law: Mississippi Constitution, Article XV, Section 273 (3)
Basis for calculation
- 744,039 votes were cast for governor in the 2007 gubernatorial election, and 12% of 744,039 is 89,285 signatures.[4]
- The next gubernatorial election is in November of 2011. This will determine the signature requirement from 2012 to 2015.
Geographic distribution
- See also: Distribution requirement
According to Section 273, Paragraph (3) of the Mississippi Constitution, "The signatures of the qualified electors from any congressional district shall not exceed one-fifth (1/5) of the total number of signatures required to qualify an initiative petition for placement upon the ballot. If an initiative petition contains signatures from a single congressional district which exceed one-fifth (1/5) of the total number of required signatures, the excess number of signatures from that congressional district shall not be considered by the Secretary of State in determining whether the petition qualifies for placement on the ballot."
- From 2008 to the present, an initiative requires at least 17,857 signatures from each congressional district.
Deadlines
2011
The deadline to submit signatures for a citizen initiated constitutional amendment on the 2011 ballot October 4, 2010, which is 90 days before the 2011 legislative session convenes[5].
See also
- States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor
- Laws governing the initiative process in Mississippi
- Mississippi 2011 ballot measures
- Statewide elections, 2012
- 2012 election dates
- Election result resources
- Voter guides
- State Blue Books
External links
- Initiative Process in Mississippi, an overview from the Secretary of State
- Mississippi signature requirements collated by the Citizens in Charge Foundation
- Mississippi Elections Division
- Elections Calendar 2012
- Mississippi Candidate Qualifying Guide 2012
- Candidate Qualifications 2012
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Mississippi Secretary of State "Candidate Qualifying Guide 2012" Accessed April 25, 2012
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Mississippi Secretary of State "Candidate Qualifications" Accessed April 25, 2012
- ↑ Mississippi initiative information
- ↑ 2007 Official Election Results
- ↑ [Confirmed with MS Secretary of State via phone on January 25, 2011]
