Voters who participate in the city elections on Tuesday, May 5, will be using Scantrons to cast their ballot.

The proper procedures for filling out the ballot are provided on the ballot. The ballots state the proper way to cast a vote for a voter’s candidate of choice is to fill in the circle completely that is next to that candidate’s name.

City Clerk Priscilla Daniel said that a using a check mark, or an “x,” or any other method of marking the circle rather than completely filling it in using only the pencil provided result in the ballot will be counted as an over vote.

“(Voters) just need to darken the inside of that oval,” Daniel said.

Daniel said the only area the scanner will read on the ballot is inside the oval.

A resolution board will have to be formed in the event of over votes to attempt to determine the voter’s intended candidate of choice if ballots are filled out incorrectly, Daniel said. That resolution board will consist of one person appointed by the local Democratic executive committee, one person appointed by the local Republican committee and a third person appointed by Pearl River County Circuit Clerk Vickie Harriel’s office.

A public demonstration of the proper procedure for filling out ballots and a demonstration of how the ballots will be counted will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Picayune City Hall bat 815 N. Beech St. Citizens with questions or concerns about the proper procedure for filling out ballots or the methods for counting votes are invited to attend the demonstration.