Senate passes weakened version of Hosemann’s election package

The Sun Herald, 2/27/8

A weakened version of a wide-ranging elections bill passed the Senate on Tuesday after two hours of debate.

The legislation, which is supported by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, was designed to make sweeping changes in the state’s election process. But lawmakers revised to the bill by stripping out provisions that would have purged thousands of voters’ names from the rolls and allowed early voting in elections.

Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, offered the amendment removing the provision requiring all voters to reregister when they cast ballots in upcoming elections.