Absentee voting ends Saturday

Mississippians will take to the polls next week to cast ballots in party primaries, but the window to vote absentee will still be open into the weekend for registered voters.

In an effort to boost overall turnout, the Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerk's office and other offices around the state will open at 8 a.m. on Saturday until noon for absentee voting.

In the event of a runoff, Primary Election Runoff Day is set for March 31.

The General Election is set for Nov. 3.

Elections Deputy Clerk Sheryl Elmore said as of Thursday afternoon, her office had received 316 absentee ballots.

“It's been really slow, but this week it's picked up some,” she said.

She also said while Wednesday marked the deadline to register to vote in the event of a runoff, registration is still available for those who wish to vote in the November General Election.

In order to vote in Tuesday's primary, voters will have had to register 30 days prior to the election.

“Just remember to bring a photo ID,” Elmore reminded voters. “You have to be a registered voter, and we've had a few students come in who are going to school here and want to vote, but who are registered in other places.”

The Republican ticket will feature two other candidates vying for the GOP nomination for president against Donald Trump, including Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente and Bill Weld. Most Oktibbeha voters will also cast ballots in a contested Republican Primary for the Third Congressional District between incumbent Michael Guest and challenger James Tulp.

U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-smith is running unopposed in the Republican Primary.

On the Democratic side, Mississippi voters will have a wide slate of candidates to choose from in the presidential primary, despite several already dropping out of the race as it will likely come down to former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The three-candidate race for the Democratic nomination for the race against Hyde-smith for U.S. Senate will feature Tobey Bernard Bartee, Jensen Bohren and Mike Espy.

Hyde-smith defeated Espy in a special election in 2018 to fill the unexpired term of Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired due to health reasons shortly before his death the following May.

In the Democratic race for the Third Congressional District, Dorothy “Dot” Benford will face Katelyn Lee.

The Oktibbeha County Circuit Clerks Office is located at 108 West Main Street in downtown Starkville.

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