In-person and mail-in absentee ballots are now available at the local circuit clerk’s office for the Nov. 3 general election, Tallahatchie County Circuit Clerk Daphane Neal said Tuesday.
Among those who are eligible to vote by absentee ballot are registered voters who will be away from their place of residence within the county on Election Day, are 65 years of age or older, have a temporary or permanent physical disability and are unable to vote in person without substantial hardship, or is required to be at work or will be on call for work on Election Day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., when the polls are open
A complete list of eligibility requirements for absentee voting is available on the secretary of state’s website here.
Due to legislative action earlier this year, Neal said walk-in absentee voting will look a little different this time.
Eligible voters will still use a paper absentee ballot, but instead of placing it into an envelope and then the ballot box, they will feed it directly into voting machines as they would on Election Day. Absentee ballots will not be tabulated until election night.
“Our circuit clerks pushed for this change to help eliminate technical issues like a voter not signing across the flap on the back of his/her envelope that would cost the person his/her vote,” Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson said in a press release. “Our office engaged to make sure we put as many protections in place as possible to uphold the integrity of the new in-person absentee voting process.”
Neal noted that mail-in and curbside absentee voting procedures remain unchanged.
The last day to vote in-person absentee is Saturday, Oct. 31, and all mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
As required by state law, all circuit clerk offices in the state will be open from 8 a.m. until noon on consecutive Saturdays, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, to facilitate in-person absentee voting.
Neal said unregistered voters have until close of day on Monday, Oct. 5, to register and ensure their eligibility to vote in the general election. Her offices will be open Saturday, Oct. 3, from 8-12 for voter registration.
She noted that anyone who is uncertain about whether they are registered to vote, or unsure where they are supposed to vote on Election Day, may call her office in Charleston at 662-647-8758 or in Sumner at 662-375-8515.
