Before a person may file a petition with the Secretary of State, the petition must be certified by the circuit clerk of each county in which the petition was circulated. The circuit clerk shall certify the signatures of qualified electors of that county and shall state the total number of qualified electors signing the petition in that county. The circuit clerk shall verify the name of each qualified elector signing on each petition. A circuit clerk may not receive any fee, salary or compensation from any private person or private legal entity for the clerk's duties in certifying an initiative petition. When the person proposing any initiative measure has secured upon the petition a number of signatures of qualified electors equal to or exceeding the minimum number required by Section 273(3) of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 for the proposed measure, and such signatures have been certified by the circuit clerks of the various counties, he may submit the petition to the Secretary of State for filing. The Secretary of State shall collect a fee of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) from the person filing the petition to pay part of the administrative and publication costs.
Structure Mississippi Code
Chapter 17 - Amendments to Constitution by Voter Initiative
§ 23-17-3. Time for filing petition; length of time petition remains valid
§ 23-17-7. Assignment of serial number; designation as "Initiative Measure No. _________ ."
§ 23-17-9. Formulation of ballot title and summary of initiative measure
§ 23-17-11. Notice of ballot title and summary to initiator; publication of title and summary
§ 23-17-13. Procedure for appeal of title and summary
§ 23-17-19. Secretary of State to design petitions; form of petitions
§ 23-17-21. Certification of petition by the circuit clerk; fee for filing petition
§ 23-17-23. Grounds for refusing to file initiative petition
§ 23-17-25. Procedure to compel Secretary of State to file petition
§ 23-17-27. Failure to appeal, or loss of appeal of, Secretary's refusal to file petition
§ 23-17-33. Ballot title and summary for alternative measures
§ 23-17-35. Form of initiative measure as appearing on ballot
§ 23-17-39. Limit of how many initiative proposals may be submitted to voters on single ballot
§ 23-17-41. Effective date of initiative which is approved
§ 23-17-43. Time limit for resubmitting initiative rejected by voters
§ 23-17-47. Definitions applicable to §§ 23-17-47 through 23-17-59
§ 23-17-53. Content of financial reports
§ 23-17-59. Unlawful to interfere with or influence vote of elector
§ 23-17-60. Removal of name from initiative petition due to fraud or coercion
§ 23-17-61. Penalties for violating §§ 23-17-49 through 23-17-59