HB 349 Summary

• Removes authority of party executive committees to hear and decide primary election contests, transferring decision-making power to circuit court judges designated by the Mississippi Supreme Court.

• Requires candidates contesting primary elections to file sworn petitions directly in circuit court within 20 days after the primary election, eliminating the requirement to first file with executive committees.

• Authorizes circuit clerks to notify judges of election contests by email in addition to existing notification methods, and requires judges to conduct de novo hearings without a jury to determine which candidate received the most legal votes.

• Repeals sections allowing executive committees to subpoena witnesses and requiring election commissioners to attend primary election contest hearings, streamlining the judicial process.

• Maintains separate procedures for contesting candidate qualifications before elections (Section 23-15-961) and contesting general election results after elections (Section 23-15-951).