A much-abbreviated absentee voting period has started for the Nov. 27 runoff election, which will decide a U.S. Senate seat and two chancery court judge positions.
With just a three-week period between the Nov. 6 general election and the runoff, the absentee voting period was further delayed in some areas as election officials had to wait to see which candidates had emerged in the runoff for the District 14, Place 1 chancery judge position.
Ballots were finally printed Friday, which allowed circuit clerks to begin sending out absentee ballots.
“We started sending out ballots for absentee requests on Friday,” Lowndes County Circuit Clerk Teresa Barksdale said. “We’re getting them out as fast as we can.”
Mail in ballots will be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday.
For those who wish to vote absentee at circuit clerk offices, the opportunities are limited. Circuit clerk offices are closed Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Voters can vote at the circuit clerk’s office Tuesday and Wednesday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon.
Voters can cast ballots for the U.S. Senate runoff between Cindy Hyde-Smith and Mike Espy. Voters who live in the Chancery District 14, Pace 1 will choose between Rodney Faver and Lee Ann Turner. Voters who live in Chancery District 14, Place 2, will choose between Joe Studdard and Carrie Jourdan.
Voters must present a valid voter ID, such as a driver’s license, student ID or any other state-issued ID.
A chancery district map and more information on absentee voting is available at the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.ms.gov/pollingplace.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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