Associated Press - September 22, 2009 3:44 PM ET
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi's top election official says a voter-identification initiative is more likely to appear on statewide ballots in 2011 rather than 2010.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann told lawmakers Tuesday he's basing that on the number of signatures already verified on petitions for the ballot measure.
Republicans want a statewide vote on whether Mississippians should be required to show ID at the polls.
To get the issue on the November 2010 ballot, organizers need 90,000 signatures from registered voters by Oct. 7.
To get it on the November 2011 ballot, they can submit the names by this coming February.
Hosemann said it appears unlikely that enough signatures will be gathered and verified by next month.
Congressional elections are in 2010, and elections for governor and other statewide offices are in 2011.
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