The primary elections for federal offices, including President, as well as for state supreme court justices, state appellate court offices, levee commissioners, election commissioners, and school board members, is on March 8, 2016. The primary runoff election, if necessary, is on March 29, 2016.

The general election is on November 8, 2016. The general runoff election, if necessary, is on November 29, 2016.

Primary elections.

No.

Open. A voter who participates in a party's primary election should intend to support that party's nominee in the general election.

Voters in Mississippi do not formally affiliate with political parties.

To register to vote in Mississippi, a person must live in the county and city in which the person seeks to vote for at least 30 days.

People experiencing homelessness or otherwise living in a non-traditional home should attach to their voter registration application a drawing or map that shows their address.

A person can register to vote if they will 18 years old by the next general election, even if they will not be 18 by the next primary election.

Yes, if they will be 18 by the general election.

People convicted of the following crimes in Mississippi lose the right to vote:

• Vote fraud
• Murder
• Rape
• Bribery
• Theft
• Arson
• Obtaining money or goods under false pretense
• Perjury
• Forgery
• Embezzlement
• Bigamy
• Armed robbery
• Extortion
• Felony bad check
• Felony shoplifting
• Larceny
• Receiving stolen property
• Robbery
• Timber larceny
• Unlawful taking of a motor vehicle
• Statutory rape
• Carjacking
• Larceny under lease or rental agreement

If a voter has been convicted of a crime not on this list (including a felony) they can vote while incarcerated, such as by absentee ballot, as long as they are properly registered to vote. A conviction of a federal crime or a conviction in a state other than Mississippi does not affect the right to vote in Mississippi.

A person who lost their right to vote because of a felony conviction may only regain that right by receiving a pardon from the Governor or by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Mississippi Legislature.

Starting July 1, 2016, Mississippi will allow registered voters who have a Mississippi driver's license or state ID card to update their exisiting voter registration information through a website.

Yes. Click here to download the form.

Yes.

Students who have a bona fide intent to make their school address their home can register to vote at that address. Otherwise, students must register at their permanent, non-school address.

30 days before Election Day.

Postmark - An application should be postmarked by the voter registration deadline.

No.

Bulk quantities of voter registration applications must be furnished by the Secretary of State to any person or organization. The Secretary of State must charge a fee for the actual costs of providing a bulk quantity.

No.

No.

No.

Federal law states that whoever "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years." At least one federal appellate court has interpreted "payment" as "intended to include forms of pecuniary value offered or given directly to an individual voter, and indicated the value should be based on "an assessment of the monetary worth of an item from the perspective of the voter receiving the item." That case held that food vouchers could be "payment."

Another example is California's Secretary of State's interpretation of the federal law to mean that "Any type of incentive is considered 'payment,' even things as seemingly innocent as cookies or admission to an entertainment event."

Mississippi's voter registration application contains the question, “Was any person or group involved in the process of completing this form other than the voter? If yes, the person or group must provide the information below,” and it provides fields for name and address. Further, the application indicates that if the applicant is unable to sign the application, the person who assisted the applicant must sign it.

No.

This is not addressed in Mississippi election law.

Applications must be submitted at least 30 days before Election Day for the applicant to vote in that election.

This is not addressed in Mississippi election law.

No.

A person who moves to a new address within the same voting precinct or ward can update their voter registration address at the polls on Election Day. A person who moves to a new address that is within the same county but outside of their former voting precinct or ward within 30 days before Election Day can update their voter registration address at the polls on Election Day and vote an affidavit ballot (also known as a provisional ballot).

Yes, if the voter’s name on their photo ID is substantially similar to their name as it appear in the pollbook. If the voter’s name is not substantially similar, then the voter may cast an affidavit (provisional) ballot, and the voter has five (5) business days after the election to provide an acceptable form of photo identification to the registrar which shows the voter's name as substantially similar to the name as it appears in the pollbook.

Yes, the following counties must provide election materials in Choctaw:

• Attala County
• Jackson County
• Jones County
• Kemper County
• Leake County
• Neshoba County
• Newton County
• Noxubee County
• Scott County
• Winston County

No.

Under Section 208 of the federal Voting Rights Act, any voter who requires assistance to vote due to inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union.

Mississippi's state law has the same for people who receive assistance when voting on Election Day. However, for people who receive assistance when voting an absentee ballot, the person assisting the voter also cannot be a candidate.

Under Section 208 of the federal Voting Rights Act, any voter who requires assistance to vote due to inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union.

Mississippi's state law has the same for people who receive assistance when voting on Election Day. However, for people who receive assistance when voting an absentee ballot, the person assisting the voter also cannot be a candidate.

Mississippi offers "curbside voting" to voters with physical disabilities. On Election Day, a voter with a physical disability may remain in their car outside of the polling place, and two or more poll managers may deliever a ballot to a voter, allow the voter to mark it in secret, and then deliever the ballot back to the polling pllace.

Additionally, voters with physical disabilities who cannot vote in person on Election Day without causing substantial hardship or danger to themselves or others may vote by absentee ballot, and they may apply for absentee ballots by mail instead of applying in person. Also, if a voter has a permanent physical disability, the voter can apply to automatically receive absentee ballots for each future election without having to reapply before every election. To do so, the voter must include with their absentee ballot application a signed statement signed by the voter's physician or nurse practitioner that indicates the voter has a permanent physical disability that makes it difficult for them to vote. The statement must also indicate that the person signing the statement is a licensed, practicing medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

Finally, persons adjudicated to be "non compos mentis" (mentally incompetent) cannot vote. However, commitment or admission to a mental health treatment facility, and findings of needs for treatment or authorizations of continuing treatment, ds not generally constitute an adjudication of non compos mentis.

No.

In-person absentee voting is allowed. However, only the following voters are allowed to vote an absentee ballot in person:

• Any voter who will be away from their home county on Election Day for any reason.
• Any voter with a physical disability who cannot vote in person on Election Day without causing substantial hardship or danger to themselves or others.
• Any person who is at least 65 years old.
• Any person who cannot vote on Election Day because they are required to be at work during the times the polls are open.
• A parent, spouse, or dependent of a person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability and is hospitalized outside their county of residence or more than 50 miles away from their residence, if that parent, spouse, or dependent will be with the person on Election Day.
• Any student, teacher or administrator at any college, university, junior college, high school, junior high school, or elementary school whose studies or employment at such institution necessitates their absence from their home county of their voting residence on the date of any primary, general or special election, and the spouse and dependents of this voter if they maintain a common home with the voter outside of the county.
• A member of Mississppi's congressional delegation who will be outside of Mississippi on Election Day, and the spouse and dependents of the member.

The county registrar's office for all elections except for municipal elections, where it occurs in the municipal clerk's office.

In-person absentee voting starts the 45th day before Election Day and ends at 12:00 p.m. on either (1) the Saturday before an election held on a Tuesday, (2) the Thursday before an election held on a Saturday, or (3) two days before an election held on any other day.

None. State law requires that in-person absentee voting occur in county registrar offices and, for municipal elections, in municipal clerk offices.

Each registrar must maintain a list of people who have requested an absentee ballot and post this list in a place accessible to the public near the entrance of their office. Additionally, poll managers on Election Day must post in polling places lists of all people in the precinct who have voted an absentee ballot.

No. A person can vote an absentee ballot by mail only for one of the following reasons:

• The voter temporarily lives outside of the county
• The voter has a temporary or permanent physical disability
• The voter is 65 years old or older
• The voter is a parent, spouse, or dependent of a person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability and is hospitalized outside their county of residence or more than 50 miles away from their residence, if the voter will be with that person on Election Day.
• The voter is a military/overseas voter, or a hospitalized war veteran with a disability who is a Mississippi citizen, or the veteran's spouse and dependents (see section below on "Absentee Voting for Military and Overseas Voters" for more information.)

(Note that this is a different list of reasons than the list of reasons why a person can vote an absentee ballot in-person; see the previous section on "Early Voting/Absentee In-Person Voting" for more information on in-person absentee voting.)

There is no specific absentee ballot application deadline. However, after receiving an application, county registrars have 24 hours to mail the voter an absentee ballot, and the voter must mark and mail back the absentee ballot in time so that it is received by 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day. Therefore, voters should apply early enough that the registrar can receive the application, mail the voter a blank absentee ballot, and receive the voter's completed absentee ballot before this deadline.

The voter must request, in writing or orally (including over the phone), an absentee ballot application from the county registrar. Alternatively, the voter can designate in writing (witnessed by a Mississippi resident) an assistant who can request and receive an absentee ballot on their behalf. The assistant can be the voter's parent, child, spouse, sibling, or legal guardian; a person with power of attorney over the voter's affairs; or another agent of the voter.

The registrar will then mail the voter an application (or give the voter's assistant an application in the registrar's office). The voter must complete the application and return it to the registrar by mail.

Additional requirements apply to certain voters that wish to vote an absentee ballot by mail:

• Voters temporarily residing outside of the county must have their their application notarized (or signed by an official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting).
• Voters with temporary or permanent physical disabilities must sign their application and have it witnessed by a person who is at least 18 years old.

Additionally, if a voter has a permanent physical disability, the voter can apply to automatically receive absentee ballots for each future election. To do so, the voter must include with their absentee ballot application a signed statement signed by the voter's physician, or nurse practitioner, that indicates the voter has a permanent physical disability that makes it difficult for them to vote. The statement must also indicate that the person signing the statement is a licensed, practicing medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

No, absentee ballot applications must be submitted by mail.

Yes, in some circumstances. The following verification is required for absentee ballot applications:

• Voters temporarily residing outside of the county must have their their application notarized or signed by an official authorized to administer oaths for absentee balloting.
• Voters with a temporary or permanent physical disability must sign their application and have it witnessed by a person who is at least 18 years old.

For absentee ballots themselves, voters must have the absentee ballot envelope notarized by an "attesting witness," which includes a public notary or a U.S. postmaster, assistant postmaster, postal supervisor, clerk in charge of a contract postal station, or any officer authorized to administer oaths. An exception applies to voters with temporary or permanent disabilities, who do not need their absentee ballot envelope notarized. However, their envelope must be signed by a witness who is at least 18 years old and is not a candidate who appears on the ballot.

Additionally, if a voter receives assistance completing their absentee ballot (or the envelope) due to disability or illiteracy, the person assisting the voter must sign the absentee ballot envelope.

Finally, if a voter has a permanent physical disability, the voter can apply to automatically receive absentee ballots for each future election without having to reapply before every election. To do so, the voter must include with their absentee ballot application a signed statement signed by the voter's physician, or nurse practitioner, that indicates the voter has a permanent physical disability that makes it difficult for them to vote. The statement must also indicate that the person signing the statement is a licensed, practicing medical doctor or nurse practitioner.

Generally, a voter may designate the following people to request an absentee ballot application on the voter's behalf:

• The voter's parent, child, sibling, spouse, or legal guardian
• A person who has power of attorney over the voter's affairs
• An agent of the voter

To designate one of these people to request the absentee ballot application, the voter must make the designation in writing, and the writing must be witnessed by another person who lives in Mississppi, who must sign and put their address on the writing. This person may then orally request an application from the county registrar in the registrar's office and deliver it to the voter.

For voters living in skilled nursing homes, the voter's spouse, parent, grandparent, sibling, adult child, grandchild or legal guardian can solicit an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot for a voter even if the voter does not designate them in writing. Alternatively, a voter in a skilled nursing home can designate any other person to do so.

Receipt - the ballot must be received in the mail by 5:00 p.m. on the day before Election Day.

Mississippi law does not address whether the voter can designate someone to put their completed absenteee ballot in the mail for them.

No.

Each registrar must maintain a list of people who have requested an absentee ballot and post this list in a place accessible to the public near the entrance of their office. Additionally, poll managers on Election Day must post in polling places lists of all people in the precinct who have voted an absentee ballot.

Under federal law, any registered voter who moves out of the state after the 30th day before a Presidential election may vote for President and Vice President either in person at the voter’s previous state of residence or using an absentee ballot from the voter’s previous state of residence.

The following Mississippi citizens can vote an absentee ballot under procedures for military and overseas voters if they are outside of their county where they live:

• People temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia
• Commissioned and enlisted Members of the Armed Forces
• Members of the Merchant Marines or the American Red Cross
• Civilians attached to any branch of the Armed Forces, the Merchant Marines, or the American Red Cross and serving outside the United States
  • Students enrolled in the United States Naval Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or United States Military Academy
• Disabled war veterans who are patients in any hospital
• Any trained or certified emergency response provider who is deployed during the time period authorized by law for absentee voting, on Election Day, or during any state of emergency declared by the President of the United States or any Governor of any state within the United States

The spouse and dependents of any of the above people also qualifie as a military/overseas voter if they will be outside of the county where they live on Election Day.

Military and overseas voters can either:

(1) Request a regular absentee ballot application from their county registrar in writing or orally (including over the phone), fill out the application, and mail it to the county regisrar (see above section on Absentee Voting by Mail for further information); or

(2) Submit a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) to their county registrar by mail, fax, electronically, or e-mail.

After an application is approved, the voter will automatically receive absentee ballots for all federal, state, and county elections through the next federal general election.

An application can be signed by electronic signature.

There is no military/overseas ballot application deadline. However, voters should apply earlier enough that they have time to receive and cast their ballot before deadline to submit the ballot itself.

The ballot must be received by the county registrar no later than 7:00pm on Election Day. Note that a military/overseas voter can return their ballot by mail, fax, electronically, or e-mail.

Additionally, a military/overseas voter must be registered to vote at least 10 days before Election Day. A voter can use a Federal Postcard Application (FPC)A) to both request a ballot and register to vote at the same time, so long as it is received 10 days before Election Day. Similarly, a voter can use a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) to both vote and register to vote at the same time, so long as it is recieved 10 days before Election Day.

All military and overseas voters can use a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) to vote in federal, state, and county elections. Additionally, a FWAB can be used to both vote and register to vote at the same time so long as it is received no later than 10 days before Election Day.

In the polling place assigned to the voter's precinct.

7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

No state law addresses this question.

No.

People cannot post or distribute cards, posters, or other campaign literature within 150 feet of any entrance to a building in which an election is being conducted.

People cannot post or distribute cards, posters, or other campaign literature within 150 feet of any entrance to a building in which an election is being conducted.

No.

Yes, but the use of video equipment in a way that would intimidate is prohibited.

Ballot photography is not expressly addressed in state law, but a voter should not allow his ballot to be seen by any person.

State law does not explicitly address this issue (see previous answer).

Yes.

The generic term is "poll watcher." The term "representative" is sometimes used to refer to poll watchers appointed by a candidate. (Sometimes, poll watchers are also called "challengers," but other people can make challenges - see section below on "Voter ID and Challenges".)

In general and special elections, each political party can appoint 2 poll watchers to each polling place where the political party has a candidate on the ballot. In all elections, each candidate can appoint 1 poll watcher to each polling place where the candidate appears on the ballot. Poll watchers must show poll managers identification and written documentation that they've been appointed by a candidate or party. Poll watchers appointed by a political party must be people of good conduct and behavior.

State law does not address this issue. Local practices may vary.

Poll watchers can observe the conduct of the election and challenge voters' right to vote. Poll watchers cannot interfere with the election process, greet voters, or influence voters.

Under Section 203 of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, if a person claims to be a registered voter in the jurisdiction in which the person desires to vote and the person claims to be eligible to vote in a federal election, but the person’s name does not appear on the official list of eligible voters for the polling place or an election official asserts that the person is not eligible to vote, then that person must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot at that polling place. The person may cast the provisional ballot after executing, before an election official at the polling place, a written affirmation stating that the person is (1) a registered voter in the jurisdiction, and (2) eligible to vote in that election.

Additionally, any person who votes in a federal election as a result of a federal or state court order, or any other order extending the time established for closing the polls by a state law in effect 10 days before the date of that election, may only vote in that election by casting a provisional ballot. Any such ballot cast must be separated and held apart from other provisional ballots cast for different reasons.

Under state law, a voter should be offered a provisional ballot (also called an "affidavit ballot") if they state that they are qualified to vote in the election but one of the following circumstances applies:

• The voter has registered to vote, but the voter's name does not appear in the poll book; or
• The voter believes they were illegally denied the ability to register to vote; or
• The voter is casting their vote during a court-ordered extension of the election; or
• The voter does not show acceptable photo ID; or
• Within 30 days before the election, the voter moved to a new ward or voting precinct in the same municipality or county, and the voter is voting in their new ward or voting precinct.

No.

A person who does not show acceptable photo ID when voting must go to the registrar's office within 5 days after they cast their ballot and either show acceptable photo ID to the registrar or sign an affidavit affirming they have a religious objection to having their photograph taken.

Voters should request information from poll managers on how to access the registrar's system that tells voters whether their affidavit ballot was counted and, if not, the reason it was not.

Only printed ballots can be used in primary elections, and poll managers should attempt to obtain more printed ballots if there is a shortage.

In all other elections, if there is a ballot shortage and there is not enough time for election commissioners to print and deliver additional official ballots to the polling place, then handwritten ballots may be used. Poll managers can create the handwritten ballots, or alternatively, a voter can handwrite their own ballot.

If a voting machine breaks or malfunctions, unofficial ballots that are made to resemble official ballots as much as possible may be used until the machine is fixed or replaced.

People voting at the polls on Election Day or voting an absentee ballot in person must show ID. There are two exceptions:

• People living in a state-licensed care facility who vote in person at a polling place located in the facility do not have to show ID.
• People with a religious objection to being photographed do not have to show ID, but they must vote an affidavit (provisional) ballot and then go to the registrar's office within 5 days of voting to sign an affidavit affirming their religious objection.

People voting an absentee ballot by mail do not have to show ID, unless they are first-time voters in Mississippi who registered to vote by mail and did not provide the necessary ID when registering (see question below for further information on first time voters).

First-time voters in Mississippi who are voting an absentee ballot by mail must provide a copy of an ID with their ballot if (1) they registered to vote by mail, and (2) did not provide one of the following forms of identification with their voter registration application:

• A Mississippi driver's license number, state ID card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number (written on the voter registration application in the appropriate place); or
• A copy of a current and valid photo ID; or
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.

If a first-time voter in Mississippi did not include one of the above forms of ID with their voter registration application, they submitted their application by mail, then they must include a copy of one of the following forms of ID with their absentee ballot:

• A copy of a current and valid photo ID; or
• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.

If the voter does not include this ID with their absentee ballot, then their ballot will be treated as an affidavit ballot (also known as a provisional ballot). If the voter is eligible to vote and filled out their absentee ballot application, absentee ballot, and absentee ballot certification correctly, then their ballot will be still counted even though they never provided ID. The voter will not need to follow up to provide ID to the regisrar to have their ballot counted.

If a voter is casting their ballot in person at the polls on Election Day or casting an absentee ballot in person, they must show a current and valid photo ID. Such photo IDs include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A current and valid Mississippi driver's license or identification card issued by the Mississippi government;
• An official Mississippi Voter Identification Card;
• A current and valid United States passport;
• A current and valid employee identification card containing a photo of the voter and issued by the federal government, the Mississippi government, or a local government in Mississippi.
• A current and valid Mississippi license to carry a pistol or revolver;
• A valid tribal identification card containing a photo of the voter
• A current and valid United States military identification card;
• A current and valid student identification card, so long as it contains a photo of the voter and was issued by an accredited college, university, or community or junior college in Mississippi.

For an ID to be "current," it must either (1) have no issue date, or (2) have an issue date that is no more than 10 years old.

Additionally, the photo on the ID must fairly depict the voter's appearance, and the name on the ID must be substantially similar to the voter's name as it appears in the poll book.

Different ID requirements apply to certain first-time voters who are voting an absentee ballot by mail (see previous question).

Yes. For voters casting an absentee ballot in person or voting at the polls on Election Day, a student ID is acceptable so long as it is a current and valid student identification card, contains a photo of the voter, and was issued by an accredited college, university, or community or junior college in Mississippi.

For those first-time voters voting an absentee ballot by mail who are required to provide a copy of an ID (see question above about first-time voters), a student ID is acceptable even if it does not have a photo of the student, but it must have been issued a public school or college (not a private one), it must be current, and it must contain the voter's address.

No.

Voters casting an absentee ballot in person or voting at the polls on Election Day who do not provide an acceptable photo ID can vote an affidavit ballot (also known as a provisional ballot). For the ballot to count, such voters must go to the registrar's office within 5 days of voting and show the registrar an adequate photo ID.

Additionally, voters who have a religious objection to having their photograph taken can vote an affidavit ballot. For the ballot to count, such voters must go to the registrar's office with 5 days of voting and sign an affidavit affirming their religious objection.

Finally, those first-time voters in Mississippi who are voting an absentee ballot by mail and are required to provide a copy of ID with their ballot (see the question above concerning first-time voters for more information) can mail their ballot in without the ID and their ballot will be treated as an affidavit ballot. So long as the voter is eligible to vote and completed the absentee ballot application, absentee ballot, and abstentee ballot certificate correctly, their ballot will count. The voter will not need to follow up or provide ID to the registrar.

No.

Any of the following people may challenge a voter:

• Any registered voter in the precinct
• Any poll manager
• Any poll watcher
• Any candidate whose name is on the ballot in the precinct

A person can be challenged on the following grounds:

• The person is not a registered voter in the precinct
• The person is not the registered voter they claim to be
• The person has already voted in the election
• The person does not live in precinct where they are registered
• The person has illegally registered to vote
• The person has removed their ballot from the polling place
• The person is otherwise disqualified by law
• The person has cast an absentee ballot but is ineligible to do so

The challenger cannot make a frivolous challenge or make a challenge in bad faith.

To determine whether to accept a challenge, poll managers can accept and consider evidence, including statements made by the voter, official documentary evidence, and indubitable oral evidence. If the poll managers unanimously agree that the evidence is sufficient to accept the challenge, the voter's ballot will not be counted. Otherwise, the voter's ballot will be counted as though no challenge was made.

Challenges are permitted at the polls on Election Day.

Secretary of State

Delbert Hosemann

You can use the online form to e-mail the Elections Division by clicking [here]http://www.sos.ms.gov/Pages/MailForm.aspx?m=A6FB9F9C-763F-4D90-84E2-CC1B7827EEC5).

601-576-2550

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 136
Jackson, MS 39205-0136

Physical Address:
Heber Ladner Building
401 Mississippi Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39205

Usually the county's Board of Election Commissioners, which also appoints a County Registrar to oversee voter registration. In counties without a Board of Election Commissioners, the county's Board of Supervisors oversee elections instead.

Usually the county's Board of Election Commissioners, which also appoints a County Registrar to oversee voter registration. In counties without a Board of Election Commissioners, the county's Board of Supervisors oversee elections instead.

Municipal Election Commission. Additionally, the municipality's clerk serves as a deputy registrar under the County Registrar.

Click here.

Section 8 of the federal NVRA requires that each State maintain for at least 2 years and make available for public inspection and, where available, photocopying at a reasonable cost, all records concerning the implementation of programs and activities conducted for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and currency of official lists of eligible voters, except to the extent that such records contain information about a person declining to register to vote or information about the identity of a voter registration agency through which a particular voter might have chosen to register.

Any person.

Secretary of State

No more than the actual cost of reproduction.

CSV (comma separated value) text file format.

Yes. Voter registration data cannot be used for the purpose of mailing or delivering any solicitation for money, services, or anything of value.

No.