Mississippi Code
Chapter 17 - Amendments to Constitution by Voter Initiative
§ 23-17-9. Formulation of ballot title and summary of initiative measure

Within seven (7) calendar days after the receipt of an initiative measure, the Attorney General shall formulate and transmit to the Secretary of State a concise statement posed as a question and not to exceed twenty (20) words, bearing the serial number of the measure and a summary of the measure, not to exceed seventy-five (75) words, to follow the statement. The statement shall give a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the measure. Neither the statement nor the summary may intentionally be an argument, nor likely to create prejudice, either for or against the measure. Such concise statement shall constitute the ballot title. The ballot title formulated by the Attorney General shall be the ballot title of the measure unless changed on appeal. When practicable, the question posed by the ballot title shall be written in such a way that an affirmative answer to such question and an affirmative vote on the measure would result in a change in then current law, and a negative answer to the question and a negative vote on the measure would result in no change to then current law.

Structure Mississippi Code

Mississippi Code

Title 23 - Elections

Chapter 17 - Amendments to Constitution by Voter Initiative

§ 23-17-1. Procedures by which qualified electors may initiate proposed amendments to the constitution

§ 23-17-3. Time for filing petition; length of time petition remains valid

§ 23-17-5. Submission of proposed initiative to Attorney General; review; recommendations; certificate of review; filing of proposed initiative and certificate

§ 23-17-7. Assignment of serial number; designation as "Initiative Measure No. _________ ."

§ 23-17-8. Correction of certain nonsubstantive clerical or technical errors in the section number reference or designation of a proposed constitutional amendment

§ 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

§ 23-17-15. Filing of instrument establishing title and summary of measure; notice to initiator; title and summary to be used in all proceedings

§ 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

§ 23-17-29. Filing petition with Legislature; adoption, amendment, or rejection of initiative; placement of initiative on ballot; approval of conflicting initiatives

§ 23-17-33. Ballot title and summary for alternative measures

§ 23-17-35. Form of initiative measure as appearing on ballot

§ 23-17-37. Voting for initiative when legislative alternative proposed; form of initiative measure and Legislative alternative 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

§ 23-17-49. Statement of organization of political committees; when to file; contents of statement; changes in statement

§ 23-17-53. Content of financial reports

§ 23-17-55. Required distance from polling place for distributing or posting material concerning initiative measure

§ 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