While strategic planning, war chest building and low-key politicking may have been underway for some time, the official start of the 2023 election season comes next week — on Tuesday, Jan. 3, to be exact.
That is the opening day of the shortened, four-week-long qualifying period for incumbents and political hopefuls seeking a wide array of statewide, state district, county and county district offices in Mississippi.
The qualifying deadline for party primary and independent candidates is Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. The primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The primary runoff election is scheduled for Aug. 29, and the general election will be Nov. 7. The full 2023 election calendar may be viewed here.
Candidates for county positions will file paperwork and any required fees with the circuit clerk’s office.
Candidates for statewide and state district seats will file with the appropriate state political party or with the secretary of state’s office.
Among offices up for grabs are:
» State: Governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, auditor, treasurer, commissioner of insurance and commissioner of agriculture and commerce
» State district: State senators and representatives, transportation commissioner, public service commissioner and district attorney
» County: Chancery clerk, circuit clerk, coroner, county attorney, sheriff and tax assessor/collector
» County district: Constable, justice court judge, election commissioner and supervisor
All candidates must file a “Qualifying Statement of Intent for a Candidate for Party Nomination.”
Candidates seeking a party nomination for county and county district offices must pay a $100 qualifying fee.
Independent candidates for county and county district offices must pay a $100 qualifying fee, in addition to submitting the usual petition signed by a stipulated number of registered voters. Properly formatted petition forms are available from the circuit clerk’s offices in Charleston and Sumner.
Independent candidates for chancery clerk, circuit clerk, coroner, county attorney, election commissioner, sheriff and tax assessor/collector must present a petition bearing no fewer than 50 signatures.
Independent candidates for constable, justice court judge and supervisor must present a petition with at least 15 certifiable signatures.
Also appearing on this year’s ballot for some voters in Tallahatchie County are school board positions in Education District 3 (a seat on the West Tallahatchie School District Board of Trustees presently held by Edith Gipson) and Education District 8 (a seat on the East Tallahatchie School District Board of Trustees occupied by Raymond Radcliff).
The school board races are unique in that candidate qualifying for those positions does not begin until Aug. 10, and the deadline to qualify is Sept. 6. School board races will appear on the general election ballot.
School board candidates must file a Qualifying Statement of Intent and a petition signed by not fewer than 50 registered voters living within the boundaries of the school district. There is no qualifying fee for school board.
A wide array of free downloadable publications brimming with information for candidates and voters alike are available from the secretary of state’s website at www.sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting.
