Congressional primaries are happening in Mississippi on Tuesday, March 10, with all four of the state’s U.S. House seats and one of its two U.S. Senate seats up for grabs.
Secretary of State Michael Watson is encouraging all eligible voters to “do their homework” before casting a ballot and make plans to vote, whether through the absentee process or on Election Day itself.
Either way, here’s a rundown of what to know before voting.
Who can vote?
Any voter registered before or by Feb. 9 in Mississippi can vote. There are contested primaries in House District 1, House District 2, and House District 4. Both the Republican and Democratic sides of the U.S. Senate race are contested, as well.
With Mississippi having open primaries, voters do not register by party affiliation. Upon arriving at a polling place, a voter chooses which party’s ballot they want. If a runoff is required, voters must return to the same party’s primary they participated in, unless they did not vote in the initial primary.
When are polls open?
Polls are open Tuesday, March 10, from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Watson, whose office manages elections, reminds voters that anyone in line before 7 p.m. is legally entitled to cast a ballot. Polling locations can be verified here.
Voters should bring a photo ID to their polling location. A list of acceptable photo IDs can be found here. Voters without an acceptable form of photo ID are entitled to cast an affidavit ballot and then return to their circuit clerk’s office with a photo ID in the days after the election for their ballot to count.
Is absentee voting still open?
Yes. The final day to vote absentee in-person is Saturday, March 7. Circuit clerk offices statewide are open during normal business hours and then again on Saturday, March 7, from 8 a.m. until noon for those eligible to vote absentee in-person.
For those absentee voting by mail, ballots must be postmarked on or before the election date of Tuesday, March 10.
Eligible reasons for voting absentee include, but are not limited to, being out of town on Election Day, living with a disability, or being older than 65.
Who’s running?
The race for House District 3 is the only one without contested primaries. Incumbent Republican Rep. Michael Guest is unopposed, while Michael Chiaradio did not draw any opponents on the Democratic side. Libertarian Erik Kiehle is also seeking the seat.
In House District 1, incumbent Republican Rep. Trent Kelly did not draw any challengers. Libertarian Johnny Baucom is also seeking the seat.
The following primaries are contested:
U.S. House District 1
Democrat
U.S. House District 2
Democrat
- Bennie Thompson (incumbent)
- Evan Turnage
- Pertis Williams III
Republican
U.S. House District 4
Republican
- Mike Ezell (incumbent)
- Sawyer Walters
Democrat
U.S. Senate
Republican
- Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent)
- Sarah Adlakha
Democrat
What will turnout be like?
That’s hard to predict, but if history repeats itself, turnout will not be great. According to Watson’s office, approximately 11% of voters participated in the 2022 congressional primaries.
Watson did note Tuesday that his office has only sent around 9,000 absentee ballots so far.
“I hope folks are making plans now (to vote). We’ve got a really low turnout so far,” he said. “It’s terrible for Mississippi. We’ve got to do better.”
What if I have questions about the voting process?
Residents can receive personalized election information through the My Election Day and Y’all Vote resources provided by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. The office also recently launched a new platform for voters to access important election information and report issues through text messaging.
Questions on the voting process can be directed to ElectionAnswers@sos.ms.gov or by calling 1-800-829-6786.
Where do I get election results?
Live election results can be tracked here.
Additionally, SuperTalk Mississippi News will be sharing results as they come in on participating talk, music, and affiliate stations.
When is the next election?
Following the Tuesday, March 10, primaries, if any runoffs are necessary, they will be held on Tuesday, April 7. The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.