Hosemann's election reform committee looks into state laws

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has headed up a committee that will take a closer look at Mississippi's election laws.

The committee, which is made up of 51 individuals, met for the first time last week to discuss primary systems, both in Mississippi and across the country.

"I'm not sure exactly where we'll end up," said Hosemann of the committee's future proposal to the state legislature. "You'll see all of the advantages and disadvantages of both sides, I think, come out of this group."

The committee discussed open, closed and "top two" primaries. Currently, Mississippi's primaries are up for interpretation, proving not to truly function as either open or closed in the 2014 U.S. Senate Republican primary.

Hosemann said that group will submit proposals to the legislature that address primaries, voter registration, early voting and absentee ballots. He also said that he is ready to remove birth dates from poll books, something that became a point in Chris McDaniel's election challenge.

"We had several issues about birth dates on poll books, and I think it's time to take those off," said Hosemann.

If any changes are made to state election law, Hosemann does not anticipate them taking effect until 2016. According to Hosemann, the majority of the committee is made up of people who are not elected officials or associated with a specific party.

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