Mississippi has strict requirements for who is allowed to vote absentee/by mail, and offers no early voting period. The best plan might be to visit your county circuit clerk's office in person to see whether you can register and/or vote absentee there and then. Otherwise, you will need a plan to vote in person on Election Day unless you qualify for an absentee/VBM ballot.
To avoid possible postal delays impacting your vote, we recommend mailing your completed ballot back by Tuesday, October 13th. Plan to drop it off by hand after that.
If you are concerned about your absentee ballot returning on time through the mail, visit our other page to learn how to drop your ballot off in person.
Register In Person: October 5, 2020
Register By Mail: Postmarked October 5, 2020
Register Online: N/A (The form must be printed and mailed in)
Request In Person: No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least October 27, 2020
Request By Mail: No specific deadline. We recommend requesting your ballot at least October 27, 2020
Request Online: N/A
Ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted if received by your county circuit clerk's office within five business days after the election.
Ballots can only be returned in person if they're filled out when requested in person at the county circuit clerk's office.
We strongly recommend mailing your ballot much earlier (by October 13th) and, if that's not possible, dropping it off in person. Learn how below or on our other page.
Contact your Circuit Clerk’s Office to see if you are entitled to vote by mail-in absentee ballot.
If you qualify to vote by mail-in absentee, request an Official Application for Absentee Elector’s Ballot be mailed to you.
The Circuit Clerk will mail the Official Application for Absentee Elector’s Ballot by mail. The application will ask you to check what absentee excuse you are applying for.
Once you receive your application, fill it out and mail it back to your Circuit Clerk’s Office.
a. The bottom part of the application is designated for the witness. All absentee ballot applications have to be signed by an official authorized to administer oath, such as a notary public, unless the voter is temporary or permanently physically disabled. Temporary or permanently physically disabled voters may have the application witnessed by a person who is at least 18 years of age.
Yes.
1. Any person who is temporarily residing outside of their county of residence, and the ballot must be mailed to an address outside the county.
2. Any person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability and who, because of such disability, is unable to vote in person without substantial hardship to himself, herself or others, or whose attendance at the voting place could reasonably cause danger to himself, herself or others. For purposes of this paragraph (d), “temporary physical disability” shall include any qualified elector who is under a physician-imposed quarantine due to COVID-19 during the year 2020 or is caring for a dependent who is under a physician-imposed quarantine due to COVID-19 beginning with the effective date of this act and the same being repealed on December 31, 2020.
3. The parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside of his or her county of residence or more than fifty (50) miles distant from his or her residence, if the parent, spouse or dependent will be with such person on election day. For purposes of this paragraph (c), “temporary physical disability” shall include any qualified elector who is under a physician-imposed quarantine due to COVID-19 during the year 2020 or is caring for a dependent who is under a physician-imposed quarantine due to COVID-19.
4. Any person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older.
Unfortunately, Mississippi does not offer a ballot-tracking system. If you're concerned, contact your county circuit clerk.
Yes; the absentee ballot envelope must be signed by an official witness.
Ballots can only be returned in person if they're filled out when requested in person at the county circuit clerk's office.
No, because you must return your ballot in-person in the same visit your request it, you must be present.
No.
7am - 7pm
If you are in line when polls close, you are legally entitled to vote. Don't leave!
Strict Photo ID
If ID is not presented, the voter votes on a provisional ballot and must return within 5 days to show ID or sign an affidavit attesting to a religious objection to being photographed.
A driver’s license,
A U.S. passport,
A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college, or community/junior college,
A U.S. military ID,
A tribal photo ID,
A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi or the United States government,
A government employee ID, and
A Mississippi Voter Identification Card.
A full list of acceptable forms of photo ID and a list of accredited colleges and universities can be found at http://msvoterid.ms.gov/Pages/VoterIDAcceptID.htm.
Expired photo IDs may be used at the polls if the ID is a state or federal ID not more than 10 years old.
If you have no acceptable form of photo ID, apply for a Mississippi Voter Identification Card at any Circuit Clerk’s office. More information on the application process and required documents can be found at http://msvoterid.ms.gov/Pages/VoterIDHowtoGetID.htm.