MS HB993

Election contests involving decisions of executive committees must be heard exclusively by circuit court judges or retired judges on senior status, rather than any other type of judge

Petitions for judicial review of executive committee decisions must be filed within 10 days after the contest or complaint is filed with the executive committee

Petitions require certification from two practicing attorneys (who may not be from the same law firm) stating they have independently investigated the facts and law and believe the petition should be sustained

The designated circuit judge must be from a district other than the one involved in the contest, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is responsible for making the designation

The act requires submission to the U.S. Attorney General or U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for preclearance under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965