MS SB2879

Establishes the Mississippi Voting Modernization Grant Program administered by the Secretary of State to reimburse or disburse funds to counties for purchasing modern voting systems that produce voter-verifiable paper ballots

Requires all elections held after January 1, 2024, to use only voting systems that do not utilize pre-scored punch card ballots and that produce voter-verifiable paper ballots

Prohibits voting machines, scanners, and ballot-marking devices purchased under the grant program from having wireless remote connection capability

Allocates grant funds to counties on a pro rata basis according to the number of voting polling places in each county, with eligible expenses including machine maintenance, software upgrades, electronic poll books, and ballot-printing supplies

Repeals existing statutory authority for direct recording electronic (DRE) voting equipment effective December 1, 2023, and requires the Secretary of State to report on the grant program to legislative leadership by December 31, 2022