In March, Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill which implemented stricter guidelines for absentee mail-in voting.
These changes, which took effect July 1, seek to ensure the accuracy and legality of absentee ballots.
Secretary of State Michael Watson’s website has outlined a 3-step approach that voters should take when voting absentee. The first is determining eligibility. Qualified electors must provide a valid reason, such as being a student or teacher at a university or being deployed in the military, for being absent from their country of residence.
Furthermore, voters who are temporarily or permanently physically disabled, as well as those age 65 and older, are eligible for both mail-in and in-person absentee voting. Specifically for mail-in voting, direct family members and dependents of individuals hospitalized outside their county of residence by a minimum of 50 miles can vote by mail as well.
The second step involves applying for an absentee ballot, which requires meeting the previously mentioned qualifications and obtaining approval from the circuit clerk in the voter’s county. As the application process varies based on the proximity to election day, it is advisable to contact the circuit clerk’s office to ensure timely acceptance.
Both Lowndes County and Oktibbeha County circuit clerk office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and allow absentee voters to complete the process in office or request mail-in ballots over the phone. The official voting process will require a valid photo ID to complete.
To ensure the validity of mail-in ballots, a witness must be present while the vote is marked, and the ballot must be returned using the official envelope provided by the circuit clerk. Additionally, the voter’s affidavit on the back of the envelope must be correctly filled out before mailing in the ballot.
Changes to the absentee voting process have also been made regarding the transportation of absentee ballots to and from the polls. Under the new regulations, only employees of the U.S. Postal Service and other authorized mail carriers, as well as family members, household members or caregivers of the voter, are permitted to handle the ballots. Before the new law, anyone 18 years or older could provide a witness signature for a disabled voter’s mail-in absentee.
Violations of these regulations carry penalties of up to a year in county jail or a fine of $3,000.
According to Tony Rook, the Circuit Clerk for Oktibbeha county, 39 out of the 169 absentee ballots sent out to permanently disabled voters have been returned so far. Rook’s office told The Dispatch 23 in-person absentee ballots have been submitted so far, but he expects the figure to increase as the election approaches.
“When absentee voting begins, individuals just kind of trickle in,” Rook said. “It’s really the last two weeks that we start seeing numbers, as of right now we have not had a large volume of absentee ballots.”
In Lowndes County, Deputy Circuit Clerk Anne Marie Higgins reports that 92 out of the 142 requested absentee ballots have been received. The office confirmed a total of 95 in-person absentee ballots being cast as of Friday, but is still awaiting the return of 50 absentee ballots, according to Higgins.
The voting deadline for mail-in absentee ballots is Aug. 7, and the deadline for in-person absentee voting ends August 5. The primary is Aug. 8.
To request an absentee ballot contact your circuit clerk’s office, or visit https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/mississippi/
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