Mississippi primaries 2024: What you need to know before going to the polls

Grant McLaughlin, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·3 min read
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Tuesday is party primary election day in Mississippi, and thousands of voters are primed to head to the polls to vote in four congressional primaries, including one for a United States Senate seat and three U.S. House of Representatives seats.

From online resources such as sample ballots to reminders on the state's voter ID requirements, below is everything voters need to know before they go to the polls to cast their votes Tuesday:

How to find your voting precinct:

Along with providing access to other information, registered voters can use the secretary of state's 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.

Voters can also just contact the secretary of state's website to find more information about polling locations and contact information of election commissioners.

Who is on the ballot:

This year's elections include four contested congressional elections for Sen. Roger Wicker's seat, and Districts 1, 2 and 4 U.S. Representatives' seats, including Trent Kelly, Bennie Thompson and Mike Ezell, respectively.

Kyle Hallman, with Chester County Voter Services, organizes mail-in ballots to be sorted for the 2020 General Election Oct. 23, 2020, in West Chester, Pa. In Mississippi, voters head to the polls Tuesday to vote in four primary elections.
Kyle Hallman, with Chester County Voter Services, organizes mail-in ballots to be sorted for the 2020 General Election Oct. 23, 2020, in West Chester, Pa. In Mississippi, voters head to the polls Tuesday to vote in four primary elections.

District 3 incumbent Michael Guest is running unopposed this year.

The precise candidates who 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.

For example, Hinds County precincts, which fall within District 2, will only feature the Senate and District 2 primaries.

See other candidates Mississippi March 12 primary elections: What to know about the candidates

When do polls open and close?

Polls will open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close Tuesday at 7 p.m. Voters who are in line by 7 p.m. can still vote as long as they stay in line.

What should you bring to the polls with you?

Mississippi voters are required to provide photo identification when voting, commonly known as Voter ID. Below are acceptable forms of Voter ID:

  • 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 in anticipation of lines. Voters who have difficulty or questions can contact the secretary of state's elections division at 1-800-829-6786.

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 primary night, but preliminary statewide figures will be posted live to the Clarion Ledger's Mississippi Election Results page at www.ClarionLedger.com.

Further ballots will be tallied in the days following the primary, which could determine whether a race will extend into a runoff.

More about the impact of MS P day See who is running for Congress in Mississippi this year

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Four Mississippi congressional primaries are Tuesday