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| Tuesday, November 3, 2020 |
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2020 General Election:
Early-Afternoon Update
JACKSON – Election Day is in full swing! So far, calls to our Election Hotline have been steady, with most calls relating to polling place changes, voter registration, and masks at polling places. As a reminder, no voter should be denied the right to vote for not wearing a face mask.
Currently, there are 1,985,928 active registered voters in Mississippi, which is an increase from the 1,876,605 total from the 2016 General Election. In 2016, there was a total of 1,209,357 legal votes cast for the Presidential Election. Based on absentee reports and voter turnout at the polls, our office expects Mississippi to surpass that total.
“We are well aware of the lines many Mississippi voters are experiencing as they are going to cast their ballots,” said Secretary Watson. “Please keep in mind our poll managers are doing a great job managing an incredibly high turnout in the midst of Covid-19 safety precautions, including social distancing and limited numbers of voters allowed in some of our precincts. Be sure to thank them for their service!
I’m so proud of our Circuit Clerks, Election Commissioners, and Poll Managers for all of their preparation and hard work. And, let’s not forget to thank our first responders around South Mississippi who did an incredible job of getting power back on in our precincts. Coast Electric, Pearl River Valley Electric, Dixie Electric, Singing River Electric, Entergy and Mississippi Power all did a fantastic job. We have a large number of heroes responsible for pulling off the election today!”
If you experience or witness a problem at the polls, please contact the appropriate District Attorney’s Office or the Attorney General’s Office at (601)359-3279, as the Secretary of State’s Office has no enforcement authority to resolve problems. Our office will continue to field all calls and send updates on the 2020 General Election throughout the day.
Election Day Reminders
- Polls are open until 7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. is entitled to cast a ballot.
- Mail-In Absentee Voting Deadline: All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (November 3) and received within five business days of Election Day in order to count.
- Polling Place Location: Please contact your county Circuit Clerk’s Office or local Election Commissioners for updates regarding your polling place. Several counties have changed polling places since the 2020 Primary Election.
- 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 Circuit Clerk’s Office within five business days after the election. Click here for more information.
- Campaigning: It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate or ballot measure 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.
- COVID-19: Our office supplied every county with COVID-19 safety supplies and personal protective equipment for poll managers. County officials have been instructed to sanitize and disinfect high-touch areas at each precinct. Voters are encouraged to practice good hygiene and follow CDC guidelines at the polls.
For more information about state election laws or Election Day information, visit Y’all Vote or call the Elections Division Hotline at (601)576-2550.
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