In party primaries across Mississippi on Tuesday, Aug. 8, Democrats and Republicans will choose candidates to represent their parties in statewide, legislative and county offices for the Nov. 7 general election. This guide provides information on which candidates are on the ballot for statewide office and how to vote in your district.
Who Is On The Ballot?
Though all offices statewide offices are on the ballot, single candidates are running unopposed in all but three Republican primary races and in all but one Democratic primary race. Those competitive statewide primaries are listed below.
Republican Primary: Governor
David Grady Hardigree
Tate Reeves (Incumbent)
John Witches
Republican Primary: Lieutenant Governor
Delbert Hosemann (Incumbent)
Tiffany Longino
Chris McDaniel
Republican Primary: Insurance Commissioner
Mike Chaney (Incumbent)
Mitch Young
Democratic Primary: Agriculture Commissioner
Robert ‘Brad’ Bradford Sr.
Bethany Hill
Terry Rogers II
Candidates are also running in regional primaries for public service commissioner and transportation commissioner. At the legislative district level, candidates are running for all Mississippi House and Mississippi Senate seats. At the county level, candidates are running for local district attorney, supervisor, judicial and other positions.
For a complete list of candidates running for legislative, regional and county offices in your district, use the Mississippi Secretary of State’s My Election Day tool to access a sample ballot.
Who Can Vote
Any Mississippi resident who registered to vote at least 30 days before the primaries, or by 5 p.m. on July 10, 2023, may vote on Tuesday. Voters may choose to vote in either the Republican primaries or Democratic primaries, but in the event of a runoff on Aug. 29, 2023, a vote may only cast a ballot in the runoff for the party they selected in the Aug. 8 primary. If a voter does not vote in the primaries on Aug. 8 but decides to vote in a subsequent runoff, they can choose either party.
If you registered to vote in the past but are not sure whether your voter registration is active or if you are registered at your current residence, you can check your registration status at this link.
If a registered voter’s name does not appear in the poll book, that voter has the right under Mississippi law to request an affidavit ballot. Affidavit voters are entitled to be notified whether or not their votes are counted and, if not, why.
Where To Vote
The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office’s My Election Day tool provides voters with polling place location information. However, Mississippi Free Press investigations have found that the polling place information the tool uses is not always correct or inaccurate.
The Mississippi Free Press publishes a list of polling place locations (as well as precinct changes) that voters can cross reference with what the Secretary of State provides.
You can contact your county election officials to verify your polling place using the contact information provided on the Secretary of State’s website.
When To Vote
Polls statewide are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Tuesday, Aug. 8. Any voter who is in line by 7 p.m. can vote if they remain in line.
Voter ID Requirements
To cast a ballot, voters must bring an accepted form of photo identification under the state’s voter ID law. Accepted IDs include:
- A driver’s license
- A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi
- A U.S. 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 U.S. military ID
- A tribal photo ID
- Any other photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. government or any State government
- A Mississippi Voter Identification Card
More information on voter ID is available here.
How To Get A Free Voter Identification Card
Mississippians who do not have any of the above photo IDs may obtain a free Mississippi Voter Identification Card by visiting their local circuit clerk’s office (contact information and addresses for your county’s circuit clerk is available at this link). After applying for a voter-identification card, voters will receive the ID in the mail. However, voters who apply for a voter ID card within 45 days of an election may use the receipt they obtained from their circuit clerk’s office when applying for the card to vote on Election Day.
Any voter who shows up to the polls without either an accepted form of photo ID or a recent Mississippi Voter Identification Card application receipt can vote by affidavit. The vote will be counted only if the voter shows an accepted form of photo ID to the circuit clerk’s office within five business days after the election.
More information on voter ID is available here.
Overseas and Military Voters
Mississippians who reside overseas, including military service members, can vote by email. For more information, contact the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Elections Hotline at 1-800-829-6786 or send an email to UOCAVA@sos.ms.gov.
Mailing Absentee Ballots
All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by the primary election day (Aug. 8) and received by local election officials within five business days of General Election Day to count.
Voting Assistance
Voters are entitled to assistance marking their ballots from a person of their choice if they need help due to disabilities, blindness or an inability to read or write. Poll workers and candidates whose names are on the ballot (as well as a candidate’s spouse, parent, sibling or child) are prohibited from assisting voters with ballot marking.
Polling Place Reminders
The secretary of state’s office has repeatedly provided these reminders ahead of elections.
- It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate within 150 feet of any entrance to a polling place, unless on private property.
- The polling places should be clear 30 feet from every entrance of all people except election officials, voters waiting to vote, or authorized poll watchers.
- Voters are prohibited from taking pictures of their marked ballot.
For Future Elections
If you are not already registered to vote, you will not be able to cast a ballot in the June 8 elections, but you can find information on how to register to vote in future elections at this link. Voters who need to update their voter registration information can do so at this link.
