Monday is the final day to register to vote or update registration information ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Residents have until 5 p.m. CT to register in person at local circuit clerk’s offices or through the mail. If mailed, voter registration forms – which can be printed online or picked up at the secretary of state’s office in Jackson and in public libraries, driver’s license exam stations, circuit clerk’s offices, municipal clerk’s offices, and public schools across the state – must be postmarked by Monday, Oct. 7 as well.
The same deadline applies to those who need to update registration information, including change of address, before the upcoming election. Information can be updated online here.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson encourages every eligible voter to check their registration status using his office’s online tool to ensure they can vote when the polls open in less than a month.
“Even if you’re registered, I encourage folks to go check their registration information just to make sure it’s up to date and everything’s up to speed and you’ll be ready to go on Election Day,” Watson said.
While Mississippi has one of the lower voter turnouts in the U.S., it’s not for a lack of number of those registered. According to Watson, over three-quarters of the state’s residents 18 or older currently can vote. However, the state ranked No. 41 with just 57.6% of people voting in the 2020 presidential election with low trends following in local and statewide elections since.
“We’ve got about 85% of those eligible to vote in Mississippi registered to vote,” Watson said. “It’s a big number. Matter of fact, it’s probably one of the bigger ones in the country. Yet, we still see such low turnout and that’s so frustrating to me.”
In response, Watson has used various events and promotions to encourage voter participation and increase awareness of when and where polls will be open. During September, also known nationally as National Voter Registration Month, Watson’s office held events at six institutions of higher education and multiple high schools to encourage younger people to vote – a demographic that historically has low turnout numbers in Mississippi and nationwide.
For those who may not be in town or must work on Election Day, the absentee process is still open. Absentee ballots are available through local circuit clerk’s offices during normal business hours and on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. until noon. Mail-in absentee ballots have already been mailed to those who applied.
The Nov. 5 general election will include the office of president, five of six congressional seats, four state supreme court seats, along with various local races.
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