Circuit clerks’ offices in the Golden Triangle will be open until noon Saturday to accommodate absentee voters for Tuesday’s special runoff election for Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District.
While Tuesday is election day, voters may cast in-person, absentee ballots until the noon cutoff time. Mailed ballots are due Monday.
The 1st Congressional District spans 21 counties, including all of Lowndes and Clay counties, and a portion of Oktibbeha County. Only about 2,100 Oktibbeha County voters reside in the district.
Voters should bring with them photo identification.
Tuesday’s election pits Republican Trent Kelly against Democrat Walter Zinn, and the winner will serve a majority of former U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee’s term that ends in 2017.
Nunnelee died from complications of brain cancer in February.
Kelly, 49, of Saltillo, is a district attorney who represents seven northern counties. Zinn, 34, of Pontotoc, is an attorney who has worked as a political adviser for other Democrats, including former Jackson Mayors Harvey Johnson Jr. and Chokwe Lumumba.
The duo emerged as the top two candidates from a field of 13. Zinn, the only Democrat in the race, won 17 percent of the vote, while Kelly won 16 percent. The remainder went to the mostly Republican field.
Republicans have held primarily held the 1st Congressional District seat since 1994.
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