The deadline to register to vote in Mississippi and still vote in the November election is October 7 at 5 p.m.
Election disinformation spreading across social media is something that comes with every election cycle. Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson says as people prepare to vote, it's important to make sure they’re relying on information from legitimate government source’s like circuit clerks offices.
“If you see something that's a little bit weird, make sure that you're reaching out for trusted information,” Watson said.
In-person and mail absentee voting is now in effect in Mississippi. If a person votes absentee by mail, that ballot will be counted as long as it's marked by election day and received up to five days after the election.
That state absentee voting law is currently being challenged in court by the National Republican Party, arguing it's unconstitutional. The suit was thrown out by a judge, but the Party has appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Watson is defending the state law and says this is clearly an area where state lawmakers have control.
“This (mail-in voting) was not spoken to in the Constitution, so the states are the ones who set the laws for elections in those states,” Watson said. That's the challenge of the lawsuit itself, and I think that's what the Republican National Party is going to have a hard time getting over. That's just the law and so that's why we stand behind it.”
While Watson encourages people to vote in-person if possible, he says the state’s absentee voting options are being used heavily. Around 23,000 Mississippians have already voted absentee in-person or requested a mail-in ballot, according to Watson.
You can check your voter registration status here, find your polling election here and view a sample ballot here.
