En español | Mississippi allows any voter 65 and over to cast an absentee ballot by mail or vote early in person, but other voters will need an eligible excuse.
Mississippians will vote for governor, state legislature and other statewide offices in 2023. The primary is Tuesday, Aug. 8 and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 7
Essential info:
- Mail-in absentee voting: Mail-in absentee ballots are only available to some voters, including people who are permanently or temporarily disabled, who are temporarily living outside their county or who are age 65 or older.
- Early in-person absentee voting: This option is only available to people who qualify, including voters who need to work on Election Day, those who will be away from their county of residence and anyone 65 or older.
- Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT. Voters must show an acceptable photo ID.
Have there been any recent changes to voting in Mississippi?
The state’s 2021 redistricting plan changed certain boundaries of some legislative and U.S. congressional districts and may affect which candidates appear on your ballot.
How do I register to vote?
- By mail: Download the voter registration application from the secretary of state’s website, and send the completed form to your county circuit clerk’s office. Or pick up an application at your circuit clerk’s office, your municipal clerk’s office or a public library. You can also contact your circuit clerk’s office to request a mailed copy of the registration form. Circuit clerk office contact details are included in the county election information provided by the secretary of state or the yallvote.ms website. Postage is required.
- In person: Visit your county circuit clerk’s office or municipal clerk’s office, or register when you get your driver’s license through the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
The deadline to register for the primary is Monday, July 10 at 5 p.m. Mailed registrations must be postmarked by the deadline. Go to yallvote.ms to check your voter registration status.
Does my party affiliation matter when I vote in the primaries?
Mississippi voters do not register to vote with a party affiliation. During primary elections, you can choose the political party for which you’d like to vote. If the primary goes to a runoff, you must stick with the same party.
How can I get a mail-in absentee ballot? Are there important deadlines?
Only certain people qualify to vote absentee using a mail-in ballot. They include:
- Voters temporarily living outside their county of residence
- Voters who, due to a temporary or permanent physical disability, are unable to vote in person
- The parent, spouse or dependent of anyone hospitalized more than 50 miles away from his or her home, if that voter is with the hospitalized person on Election Day
- Anyone age 65 or older
Absentee ballot applications will be available starting Friday, June 9, for the primary and Wednesday, Sept. 6, for the general election.
Contact your county circuit clerk’s office to see if you qualify. If you do, request that an application be mailed to you. You must indicate on the application the reason you need an absentee mail-in ballot.
Mail-in absentee ballot applications should be notarized, but there’s an exception: If you are temporarily or permanently disabled, you instead need a witness 18 or older to sign. Mail the application to your county circuit clerk’s office.
Your county circuit clerk's office will mail your absentee ballot to you within one day of receiving your application. Note that mail-in absentee ballots also require a witness signature and will come with instructions about who qualifies.
Completed ballots must be returned by mail to your county circuit clerk’s office and postmarked on or before Tuesday, Aug. 8 for the primary and Tuesday, Nov. 7 for the general election. Postage is required. Ballots must be received no later than five business days after the election.
Additional information can be found on yallvote.ms. Or use the secretary of state’s step-by-step absentee guide.
Can I track my absentee ballot?
That depends on your county of residence. Contact your county circuit clerk’s office to see if absentee ballot tracking is available.
Can I vote in person before Election Day?
Mississippi offers in-person absentee voting, but only to those who qualify. Some of those who are eligible include:
- College students who are outside their county of residence
- Voters who are required to be away for work on Election Day
- People who are physically disabled
- Anyone age 65 or older
- Those who need to be at work during Election Day poll hours
Early voting will begin as soon as absentee ballots are available and run through Saturday, Aug. 5 for the primary and Saturday, Nov. 4 for the general election.
You may cast your ballot during regular business hours at your county circuit clerk’s office. Saturday voting will be available from 8 a.m. to noon on July 29 and Aug. 5 for the primary, and on Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 for the general election.
Check with your county circuit clerk’s office for more details about when and where to vote.
What do I need to know about voting at the polls on Election Day?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT. If you’re in line before the polls close, you’ll be allowed to vote.
Use the polling place locator, available through yallvote.ms, to find your polling place. Or, if you have questions, contact your county circuit clerk’s office, email the secretary of state's office at ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov or call the elections hotline at 800-829-6786.
Do I need identification to vote?
Yes, Mississippi law requires voters to present a current photo ID card before casting a ballot.
Acceptable forms of identification, as outlined on the yallvote.ms site, include:
- A driver’s license
- A photo ID card issued by a Mississippi state branch or department
- A United States passport
- A government employee ID card
- A firearms license
- A student photo ID from an accredited Mississippi school, including universities, colleges and community/junior colleges
- A U.S. military ID card
- A tribal photo ID card
- Any other photo ID card issued by the U.S. or state government
- A Mississippi voter ID card, which can easily be acquired for free
If you have questions about getting a voter ID card, email MSVoterID@sos.ms.gov or call 844-678-6837.
Editor’s note: This guide was updated on April 7, 2023, with information about how to vote in the 2023 gubernatorial election. The guide was first published on Aug. 3, 2020.
Also of Interest:
- Follow AARP’s political coverage at aarp.org/elections
- Keep up with local events and AARP advocacy efforts at aarp.org/ms