The deadline to register to vote is near. Here’s what to know about voter rules in MS
If you’re not registered to vote in the presidential election, it’s not too late to do so, yet, but time is quickly running out.
In Mississippi, the deadline for in-person and by-mail registration is Monday, October 7th.
Voter qualifications
To qualify to vote, you must meet the following requirements for the state of Mississippi:
Be a citizen of the United States for at least 30 days before election
Be a legal resident of Mississippi
Be at least 18 to vote by the time of the election
Not have been convicted of certain disenfranchising crimes (unless pardoned)
Not have been declared mentally incompetent to vote by a judge
Disenfranchising crimes
The following are classified as disenfranchising crimes in Mississippi. Conviction of any of the crimes would forfeit your right to vote, unless you were pardoned.
- Arson
- Obtaining Money or Goods under False Pretenses
- Armed Robbery
- Perjury
- Bigamy
- Rape
- Bribery
- Receiving Stolen Property
- Embezzlement
- Robbery
- Extortion
- Theft
- Felony Bad Check
- Timber Larceny
- Felony Shoplifting
- Unlawful Taking of Motor Vehicle
- Forgery
- Statutory Rape
- Larceny
- Carjacking
- Murder
- Larceny Under Lease or Rental Agreement
Mississippi does not offer online voter registration, but there are other methods to get registered.
Registration by mail
If you want to register to vote by mail, you have to consider the amount of time the postal system takes to process the registration and factor that into the Oct. 7 deadline.
The steps are fairly simple, but there isn’t much room for error once you pop it in the mail.
Download and complete the voter application form from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website.
Make sure all the information is correct and validated. Errors could delay the process and potential voters could miss the deadline.
Mail the completed application to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s physical address:
Heber Ladner Building
401 Mississippi St., Jackson, MS 39201-1004
- The application must be postmarked by the deadline of Oct. 7, 2024.
In-person registration
The same requirements of mailed registration applications must be presented to register in person, but you have a few options. You can download the application from the internet ahead of time to present it in your local county registrar’s office.
Harrison County: 1801 23rd Ave., Gulfport, MS 39502
Hancock County: 152 Main Street, Suite B, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
Jackson County: 3104 Canty St., Suite 101, Pascagoula, MS 39567
Pearl River County: 917 Goodyear Blvd., Picayune, MS 39466
Stone County: 323 East Cavers Ave., Wiggins, MS 39577
George County: 355 Cox St., Lucedale, MS 39452
Absentee ballots
To vote via absentee ballot, you must meet certain requirements:
Being away from your county on Election Day
Having a temporary or permanent physical disability
Being 65 years of age or older
Being a student or teacher away from your county
Required to work during voting hours
To obtain the application to receive an absentee ballot, there are several options available:
By mail: download and print the absentee ballot application, fill it out and mail it to your County Board of Registrar’s Office. Be sure to include a copy of your ID, if required.
Emailing or faxing the absentee ballot is prohibited unless you are a member of the U.S. military and you used the Federal Post Card Application.
Once the application is processed your ballot will be mailed to the address provided. Complete and return the ballot, but make sure you carefully read the instructions and then sign where indicated.
Your vote must be received by the County Board of Registrars by the time the polls close on Election Day, which in Mississippi is 7 p.m. Central Standard Time.
This story was originally published August 21, 2024 at 10:36 AM.
