House Bill 198 Summary

• Establishes early voting available 15 days before elections during 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, conducted at registrar's office or courthouse location.

• Allows county election commissioners to unanimously approve additional early voting polling sites outside the registrar's office with county board of supervisors consent, requiring 20 days public notice of times and locations.

• Requires county registrar's budget to pay minimum wage for one additional deputy for up to 35 days to implement early voting requirements, with additional deputies authorized if approved by county board of supervisors.

• Mandates at least one voting machine equipped for voters with disabilities at each early voting location, with voting machines supervised by registrar and county election commissioners.

• Establishes voter identification requirements allowing 22 forms of acceptable identification including driver's licenses, passports, student IDs, and utility bills, with affidavit ballot option for voters without identification.

• Creates Mississippi voter cards issued free by Secretary of State to registered voters who lack other acceptable identification forms.