Voting in Mississippi
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Contents |
Registration
Mississippi uses an open primary system, meaning voters are not required to declare a party preference when registering to vote.
When and where
The deadline for registration is 31 days prior to the election. You can register to vote at your Circuit Clerk’s office, your Municipal Clerk’s office, when you get your driver’s license at the Department of Public Safety, or through the mail by downloading a voter registration form from our website and mailing it to your Circuit Clerk. A valid for of identification is required to register.[1]
Online registration
As of May 2013, Mississippi is one of the 37 states that have not implemented online voter registration.
Voting on election day
First time voters or unverified registrants are required to show identification. Acceptable forms of ID include a copy of a current and valid photo ID, a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows the name and address of the voter.
Note: Mississippi's 2011 voter ID amendment requires an implementing statute and faces USDOJ pre-clearance, before it can take effect.[2]
Poll times
- See also: State Poll Opening and Closing Times
All polling places in Mississippi are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Central Time.[3]
Absentee voting
Eligibility
You are eligible to vote absentee in an election if you cannot make it to the polls on election day for one of the following reasons:
- You will be outside the county on election day.
- You are an enlisted or commissioned member of any component of the United States Armed Forces, or spouse or dependent of such member.
- You are a Member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross, or spouse or dependent of such member.
- You are a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any hospital, or the spouse or dependent of such veteran.
- You are a civilian attached to and serving outside of the United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, or spouse or dependent of such civilian. You are a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia.
- You are a student, teacher or administrator at a college, university, junior or community college, high, junior high, elementary or grade school, whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates your absence from the county of your voting residence or spouse or dependent of such student, teacher or administrator
- You have a temporary or permanent physical disability.
- You are sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
- You are the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his or her residence, and you will be with such person on election day.
- You are a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation.
- You are required to be at work on election day during the times which the polls will be open.
Deadlines
There is no specific deadline for applying for an absentee ballot. The ballot must then be returned by 5pm on the day before the election.
Military and overseas voting
For full details, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program here.
Early voting
Mississippi is one of 8 states which allow early voting but require an excuse to vote early. Contact your local election office to find out when early voting is available in your county.
To vote early you need to provide an excuse for why you will be unable to vote at the polls during normal voting hours. The following are valid reasons:
- You will be outside the county on election day.
- You are an enlisted or commissioned member of any component of the United States Armed Forces, or spouse or dependent of such member.
- You are a Member of the Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross, or spouse or dependent of such member.
- You are a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any hospital, or the spouse or dependent of such veteran.
- You are a civilian attached to and serving outside of the United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the Merchant Marine or American Red Cross, or spouse or dependent of such civilian. You are a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia.
- You are a student, teacher or administrator at a college, university, junior or community college, high, junior high, elementary or grade school, whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates your absence from the county of your voting residence or spouse or dependent of such student, teacher or administrator
- You have a temporary or permanent physical disability.
- You are sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
- You are the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles away from his or her residence, and you will be with such person on election day.
- You are a member of the congressional delegation, or spouse or dependent of a member of the congressional delegation.
- You are required to be at work on election day during the times which the polls will be open.
