Mississippi runoff elections 2023: What you need to know before heading to the polls

Tuesday is an election day in Mississippi, and voters will head to the polls to decide the runoff elections that resulted from primaries for statewide offices and seats in the Legislature, along with a number of local county races, that took place earlier this month.

From online resources like sample ballots to reminders on the state’s voter ID requirements, here’s everything voters need to know before they go vote:

Where to find your voting precinct?

Along with providing access to other information, registered voters can use the secretary of state’s newly launched My Election Day tool to locate their polling place. My Election Day also provides voters with a sample ballot, a list of current office holders and contact information for local election officials.

Who is on the ballot?

On the ballot Tuesday will be races where no candidate reached 50% of the vote earlier this month. Those races include a number of state legislative races, along with local races for positions like county supervisor.

The precise candidates that will appear on the ballot will differ by precinct and can be seen by accessing a sample ballot through the secretary of state’s My Election Day tool.

Voters who voted in the primary earlier this month must vote in the same party primary for the runoff elections. As Mississippi is an open primary state, voters who did not vote in the primary earlier this month will have the choice of voting in the Republican or Democratic primary.

When do polls open and close?

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters who are in line by 7 p.m. can vote so long as they stay in line.

What should you bring with you?

Mississippi voters are required to provide photo identification when voting, commonly known as Voter ID.

The acceptable forms of photo ID are:

• A driver’s license (including a Digital ID provided by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety)
• A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi
• A United States passport
• A government employee ID card
• A firearms license
• A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college, or community/junior college
• A United States military ID
• A tribal photo ID
• Any other photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the United States government or any State government
• A Mississippi Voter Identification Card

A voter who does not have photo ID on election day will be asked to vote via affidavit ballot. They will then have five business days to show an acceptable form of photo ID, or apply for a Mississippi Voter ID Card, at their local circuit clerk’s office.

Voters should also consider bringing water and a cell phone with them to the polls. Voters who have difficulty or questions can contact the secretary of state’s elections division at 1-800-829-6786. It is once again expected to be one of the hottest election days on record, and voters should be prepared to brave possible lines in the heat. Heat warnings have been issued for much of the central and southern portions of the state.

What if I voted absentee or affidavit?

Absentee and affidavit voters can track the status of their ballots through the My Election Day tool as well. There is a new tracker for both absentee and affidavit ballots. All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by election day to be counted.

How can I follow the results?

Preliminary results will begin to be announced shortly after the polls close at 7 p.m. The secretary of state will not release official results on election night, but the Clarion Ledger will maintain a live feed throughout the day.