There is declared, created and now in existence a statewide stock law which embraces all of the territory of the State of Mississippi and which is declared to be uniform throughout the state, except as hereinafter provided. Any person or persons owning or having under control any livestock such as cattle, horses, mules, jacks, jennets, sheep, goats and hogs, shall not permit such livestock to run at large upon the open or unfenced lands of another person, except as herein expressly provided, but shall keep such livestock confined in a safe inclosure or upon lands belonging to such person. However, upon the petition of twenty percent of the qualified electors of any county of this state, outside of the municipalities thereof, the board of supervisors of such county shall call an election to be held within sixty days after the filing of such petition for the purpose of permitting the qualified electors of such county, outside of the municipalities, to vote upon the question whether or not the provisions of the statewide stock law shall remain in force in such county, outside of the municipalities thereof; and if a majority of the qualified electors of such county, outside of the municipalities thereof, voting in said election, shall vote to sustain the statewide stock law, then it shall remain in full force and effect in said county, but should a majority of the qualified electors of said county, outside of said municipalities, voting in said election, vote against the statewide stock law, then sixty days after said election the provisions thereof shall not apply to or be in force in said county, outside of the municipalities thereof, except in its application to hogs or swine, which shall not be permitted in any event to run at large in any county of this state.

In the event a county has heretofore elected to come out from under the stock law, no less than five years after such election, upon the petition of twenty percent of the qualified electors of any such county outside the municipalities thereof, the board of supervisors shall call an election to be held within sixty days after the filing of such petition to vote upon the question of whether or not the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities. If a majority of the qualified electors of such county, outside of the municipalities thereof, voting in said election, shall favor the statewide stock law, then sixty days after said election the provisions of the statewide stock law shall apply in that county outside the municipalities. If the majority of those voting in the election vote against the statewide stock law, the provisions of the statewide stock law shall continue to be inapplicable to such county outside municipalities. No election on the same question may be held more often than once every two years.