Tuesday is municipal primary election day across the state of Mississippi. Voters will narrow down their candidates for city offices. If necessary, there will be a primary runoff in two weeks, on May 16.
The last time the state held municipal elections, only a third of registered voters turned out in the state’s largest cities.
Here’s what you need to know if your city is holding elections, from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office:
Polls open for 2017 Municipal Primary Elections at 7 a.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Mississippians can cast a ballot for municipal candidates seeking party nomination for municipal offices.
Polls close at 7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. is entitled to cast a ballot.
“This is where the rubber meets the road. If you are concerned about policy-making and decisions directly impacting your daily life, including your roads, garbage pick-up, or street lights, I urge you to cast a ballot in your precinct tomorrow,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said.
Municipal Primary Elections are conducted by political parties and municipal election officials. The Secretary of State’s Office will have 15 observers in 24 municipalities across the State. Problems at the polls observed by Secretary of State staff or otherwise reported to the Elections Division will be referred to the proper municipal election officials or authorities. The Secretary of State’s staff has no enforcement authority to resolve problems.
Other important information for Election Day includes:
· Polling Place Location: A polling place locator is available on the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.ms.gov/PollingPlace/Pages/default.aspx.
· Voter Photo ID: Voters are required to show photo identification at the polls. A voter without an acceptable form of photo identification is entitled to cast an affidavit ballot. An affidavit ballot may be counted if the voter provides an acceptable form of photo identification to the Municipal Clerk’s Office within five business days (5 p.m. on May 9, 2017) after the election. For more information, visit www.msvoterID.ms.gov.
· Campaigning: It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate within 150 feet of any entrance to a polling place, unless on private property.
· Loitering: The polling places should be clear for 30 feet from every entrance of all people except elections officials, voters waiting to vote, or authorized poll watchers.
· Camera Phones: Voters are prohibited from taking pictures of their marked ballot.
