The Democratic and Republican party primaries in Mississippi’s 2019 elections will be Aug. 6. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. that Tuesday.
Voters must show a photo ID such as driver’s license, ID issued by the state of Mississippi, firearms license or student photo ID.
The circuit clerk’s office at the new Webster County Courthouse on Highway 9 in Walthall will be open for in-house absentee voting from 8 a.m.-noon the two Saturdays before the first primary, July 27 and Aug. 3.
Anyone who missed the voter registration deadline (July 8) for the Aug. 6 primaries may still register in order to vote in the Aug. 27 runoff primaries. One must register by 5 p.m. Monday, July 29.
Webster County Circuit Clerk Sherry Henderson reminds voters that Mississippi does not have open primaries and they are not registered by a party.
Any runoffs on Aug. 27 are a continuation of the first primary. Therefore, those who vote in the first primary must vote in the same party’s runoff. For example, if a person votes in the Republican primary, he or she cannot vote in any Democratic runoffs — and vice-versa. Registered voters who do not vote at all in the first primary may vote in either party’s runoff.
Henderson also pointed out that whatever primary party one chooses in August to vote does not determine the party one will vote in for the 2020 presidential primaries.
These races in the first primary have at least three candidates and could potentially result in runoffs:
• Democratic Primary: Governor, sheriff, supervisor District 1, supervisor District 3 and Justice Court judge District 1.
• Republican Primary: Governor, attorney general and Northern District transportation commissioner.
One may cross-vote (vote any party on same ballot) in the Nov. 5 general election. Independent candidates will not be on the ballot until November.
Webster County poll worker training for managers, encoders and bailiffs began Tuesday and continues today at the Doss Building in Eupora.
The Circuit Clerk’s Office and officials in charge of elections will run a test at the new courthouse today and Thursday if needed beginning at 10 a.m. to ascertain that the Accu Vote TSX units will count the votes cast for all offices and on all measures.
The test will be conducted by testing a number of the DRE units being used in the Aug. 6 primaries. All memory cards to be used will be tested. This test will be conducted until all units have been tested. The public may observe the tests
Sample ballots listing all party primary candidates are published elsewhere in this section. Anyone who has questions about the primary election should contact the circuit clerk’s office at 258-6287.
