Democratic Party primaries in Mississippi, 2020

Elections in Mississippi, 2020

• Primary date: March 10
• Primary type: Open
• Registration deadline(s): Feb. 8
• Online registration: No
• Same-day registration: No

• Early voting starts: N/A
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): March 9 (received)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Date of Mississippi presidential primary: March 10

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On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Local judges • State ballot measures • School boards • 

2022 → ← 2018

Democratic Party primaries, 2020

Primary Date

March 10, 2020

Primary Runoff Date

June 23, 2020

Federal elections

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate

Democratic primaries for U.S. House

State party

Democratic Party of Mississippi

State political party revenue

This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Mississippi on March 10, 2020. Click here for more information about the Republican primaries.

Note that the dates and terms of participation for presidential preference primaries and caucuses sometimes differ from those that apply to primaries for state-level and other federal offices, which are the subject of this article. For more information on this state's presidential nomination process, click here.

Federal elections

U.S. Senate

See also: United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2020 (March 10 Democratic primary)

The 2020 U.S. Senate elections in Mississippi took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.

 Democratic primary candidates

• Tobey Bartee
• Jensen Bohren 
• Mike Espy ✔

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

U.S. House

See also: United States House elections in Mississippi, 2020 (March 10 Democratic primaries)

The 2020 U.S. House of Representatives elections in Mississippi took place on November 3, 2020. Voters elected four candidates to serve in the U.S. House, one from each of the state's four congressional districts.

District 1

 Democratic primary candidates

• Antonia Eliason ✔ 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 2

 Democratic primary candidates

• Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) ✔
• Sonia Rathburn 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 3

 Democratic primary candidates

• Dorothy Benford ✔
• Katelyn Lee 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey

District 4

 Democratic primary candidates

The Democratic Party primary was canceled. No candidates filed for this race.

Context of the 2020 elections

Mississippi Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

State party overview

See also: Democratic Party of Mississippi

State political party revenue

See also: State political party revenue and State political party revenue per capita

State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic state party affiliates.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election.

In Mississippi, primaries are open, meaning any registered voter may vote in the primary of their choice. State law says: "No person shall vote or attempt to vote in the primary election of one (1) party when he or she has voted on the same date in the primary election of another party."

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

All polling places in Mississippi are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register in Mississippi, prospective voters must be United States citizens, residents of their county in Mississippi for at least 30 days, and at least 18 years old by Election Day.

Registration applicants must postmark or submit an application in person to the local circuit clerk’s office at least 30 days before an election. Mailed applications must be postmarked by this date.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Mississippi does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Mississippi does not permit online voter registration.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Mississippi does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Mississippi, you must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Mississippi does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Y’all Vote, run by the Mississippi Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Mississippi requires voters to present photo identification while voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of July 2025.

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1. A valid Mississippi driver’s license (includes Mississippi Mobile ID, issued by Department of Public Safety]) 2. A valid identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the State of Mississippi; 3. A valid United States passport 4. A valid employee photo identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government, the State of Mississippi, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state 5. A current and valid Mississippi license to carry a pistol or revolver, containing a photo of the voter 6. A valid tribal photo identification card 7. A valid United States military photo identification card 8. A current and valid student photo identification card, issued by any accredited college, university or community or junior college in the State of Mississippi 9. An official Mississippi Voter Identification Card 10. Any current and valid photo ID not listed above issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government any other state government

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To view Mississippi state law pertaining to voter identification, click here.

Voters can obtain a Mississippi Voter Identification Card for free at any circuit clerk’s office in Mississippi. Voters can apply for a card during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Voters who need transportation to a circuit clerk’s office can call the secretary of state’s voter ID toll-free hotline at 1-844-678-6837, visit www.MSVoterID.ms.gov, or email MSVoterID@sos.ms.gov to schedule a ride. Transportation is free of charge.

Early voting

Mississippi does not permit early voting. In-person absentee voting is permitted, but a voter must qualify. The following types of voters are eligible to cast an in-person absentee ballot:

“

Any qualified elector who is a bona fide student, teacher or administrator at any college, university, junior college, high, junior high, or elementary grade school whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates his or her absence from the municipality of his or her voting residence on the date of any primary, general or special election, or the spouse and dependents of that student, teacher or administrator if such spouse or dependent(s) maintain a common domicile, outside of the municipality of his or her voting residence, with such student, teacher or administrator. Any qualified elector who is required to be away from his or her place of residence on any election day due to his or her employment as an employee of a member of the Mississippi congressional delegation and the spouse and dependents of such person if he or she shall be residing with such absentee voter away from the municipality of the spouse's voting residence. Any qualified elector who is away from his or her residence within the municipality on election day for any reason. Any person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability and who, because of such disability, is unable to vote in person without substantial hardship to himself, herself or others, or whose attendance at the voting place could reasonably cause danger to himself, herself or others. The parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside of his or her residence within the municipality or more than fifty (50) miles distant from his or her residence, if the parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election day. Any person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older. Any member of the Mississippi congressional delegation absent from Mississippi on election day, and the spouse and dependents of such member of the congressional delegation. Any qualified elector who will be unable to vote in person because he or she is required to be at work on election day during the times at which the polls will be open or on-call during the times when the polls will be open.

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Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Mississippi requires a voter to have an excuse to cast an absentee ballot by mail. The following types of Mississippi voters are eligible to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot:

“

Any person who is temporarily residing outside of their municipality of residence, and the ballot must be mailed to an address outside the municipality. Any person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability and who, because of such disability, is unable to vote in person without substantial hardship to himself, herself or others, or whose attendance at the voting place could reasonably cause danger to himself, herself or others. The parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside of his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles distant from his or her residence, if the parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election day. Any person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older. Any incarcerated individual who has not been convicted of a disenfranchising crime. Residency of incarcerated individuals is determined by the residence of the person prior to his/her incarceration.

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There is no specific deadline for applying for an absentee ballot. Voters can contact their local circuit or municipal clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot beginning 45 days before an election. Completed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received within five business days of the election in order to be counted.

Note: Per an October 2024 decision from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted. Litigation in this case is ongoing, see here for more information.

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Two of 82 Mississippi counties—2.4 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County	Trump margin of victory in 2016	Obama margin of victory in 2012	Obama margin of victory in 2008
Chickasaw County, Mississippi	6.06%	4.52%	2.13%
Panola County, Mississippi	0.12%	8.62%	6.52%

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

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