Here’s what Mississippians need to know a week before Election Day, Secretary of State says
Secretary of State Michael Watson said Tuesday more than 190,000 absentee ballots already have been requested in Mississippi, which he called a record and “an incredible number.”
People waited in line for hours to vote by absentee ballot in Jackson County on Tuesday. And though county offices will close early Wednesday for Tropical Storm Zeta, the Circuit Clerk’s office will remain open until 5 p.m. for voting.
Watson said the deadline for in-person absentee is Saturday, Oct. 31. All the county clerks’ offices across the state will be open on weekdays and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For those who are disabled and can’t stand in line at the polls, or those who have symptoms of the coronavirus, curbside voting will be available on Election Day. Voters should contact their circuit clerk and get a phone number to call when they get to the polls, Watson said.
Highlights from Watson’s press conference Tuesday are:
▪ So far there have been zero breaches in the election and testing processes in Mississippi, he said.
▪ Poll workers will be required to wear masks on Election Day
▪ Those who voted absentee will no longer be allowed to come back and change their vote on Election Day.
▪ Voters can’t be turned away if they aren’t wearing a mask
▪ Those who are concerned about a voter who isn’t wearing a mask can wait outside the polls until that voter leaves, he said.
▪ Watson said he believes it is a combination of the coronavirus and the excitement over the presidential election that is fueling the absentee ballot requests.
▪ 190,087 absentee have been requested and 186,998 have already been mailed or given out.
▪ 164,101 absentee ballots have been received, with 55,021 of them mail-in ballots returned.
▪ More than 113,000 new voters registered in Mississippi this year.
▪ A resolution board can start processing absentee ballots at 7 a.m. on Election Day, verifying signatures and matching names to the voting rolls. Absentee votes can’t be counted until after 7 p.m., typically by using a vote scanner.
▪ The process to certify the winners is 10 days, but Watson said, “I do think we will have a great idea on election night.” He said some states anticipate it will take days to determine winners.
How to contact your circuit clerk’s office
Here is the phone number for the circuit clerk’s office in each Coast county:
- Hancock County: 228-467-5265
- Harrison County: 228-865-4051
- Jackson County: 228-769-3040
Sample ballots
Below are sample ballots for the three Coast counties in alphabetical order.
Hancock County
Harrison County
Jackson County
(Jackson County’s sample ballot does not include a photo of the proposed state flag, but the photo will appear on actual ballots.)
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 5:25 PM.
