I. MOVING OR UPDATING VOTER REGISTRATION

First, you must be registered to vote. If you aren’t registered, Saturday, October 6 is the last day to register to vote in the general election. Your Circuit Clerk’s office may remain open until noon on Saturday, October 6 for voter registration. You can register to vote at your county Circuit Clerk’s office and at your City Hall on any regular business day prior to that date, or you can click here to download a voter registration form. Once you’ve obtained, printed and completed the voter registration form, mail or deliver it to your county Circuit Clerk’s office. Mail-in voter registration must be postmarked no later than 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 7 to be accepted for the primary election. However, since many post offices are closed on weekends, applicants should mail their applications no later than Friday, October 5 to avoid missing the deadline.

If you are registered to vote but your permanent address has changed, you need to contact your county Circuit Clerk or Election Commission and update your registration.

If you have been temporarily displaced and intend to return to your home, there is no need to change your voter registration. You may vote at your normal polling place. If your polling place was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, please contact your county Circuit Clerk to find out where you need to go to vote.

(Circuit Clerks’ mailing addresses and contact information can be found in the right side bar.)

II. VOTING ABSENTEE

If you are away from your home county on election day or meet one of the other qualifications in the law, you may vote absentee. You can vote absentee in the Circuit Clerk’s office before election day. Simply go to the Circuit Clerk’s office in the county in which you are registered, and tell them you would like to vote absentee. They will let you vote an absentee ballot right then and there.

Or, if you are temporarily residing away from your home county, disabled, or over 65 years of age, you can vote absentee through the mail. If you intend to vote by mail your application must be notarized unless you are disabled. To request an absentee ballot, contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where you are registered. The Circuit Clerk’s office will mail you an application for an absentee ballot. When you receive it, fill it out and mail it in. Soon thereafter, you will receive an absentee ballot listing all of the candidates for office. Mark your choices and return the ballot to the Circuit Clerk’s office.

Be sure to allow at least three weeks for the mailed absentee ballot process. Remember, you need to request an application, receive and return it, then receive a ballot and return it in order to vote. The Circuit Clerk must receive your absentee ballot by Monday, November 5.

III. SPECIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VOTERS

The Secretary of State’s office stands ready to assist military personnel outside of Mississippi with voting.

“I encourage all of our military personnel and their families to call the Secretary of State’s office at 1-800-829-6786, if we can help you vote absentee. If you or your family member is stationed overseas and can’t call us, please contact us via e-mail using your military-issued e-mail address. We’ll be happy to help you exercise your right to vote.”

 -Eric Clark, Secretary of State

Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
In order for uniformed and overseas citizens to request an absentee ballot, a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) can be used. A postage paid application can be obtained from a military voting officer, American organizations overseas, or United States Embassies and Consulates. Or, you can click here to download a non-postage paid application.

The FPCA should be filled out and sent to the appropriate Circuit Clerk in Mississippi by fax or mail. For a list of Circuit Clerks’ addresses and fax numbers, click here. Absentee ballots are available 45 days before the election. Upon receipt of your FPCA by your local Circuit Clerk, a ballot will be forwarded to you.