Still time to cast absentee ballot
Published 1:00 pm Thursday, November 1, 2012
County election officials said on Wednesday that residents still have time to cast an absentee ballot before Tuesday’s General Election, says Pearl River County Circuit Court Clerk Vicki Hariel.
Hariel said voters have until noon Saturday to cast absentee ballots at the circuit court clerk’s offices in the Poplarville Courthouse and at Chimney Square county office complex at Goodyear Boulevard and Kirkland Avenue in Picayune. The offices will be open to noon on Saturday.
After noon Saturday, hand delivery of absentee ballots no longer will be accepted.
Mailed absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. Monday in order to be counted, added Hariel.
Military absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on election day to count.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann told The Associated Press absentee voting is typically a pretty good indicator of voter turnout on Election Day.
He said voters were turning out, but not in numbers comparable with the previous presidential election cycle when nearly 10 percent of the votes cast was absentee.
Mississippi does not have early voting.
Officials also said that although the state has passed a voter ID law, no voter ID would be required to vote in Tuesday’s election.
Mississippi’s voter ID law is being reviewed by the U.S. Justice Department. An ID, such as a driver’s license, is required if you are a first-time voter. The law was approved last year.
Election officials also said that if for any reason, a person is are not allowed to vote, that person can vote under an affidavit ballot. If you request one, the poll worker has to give you one and allow you to vote. Later the ballot will be adjudicated and accepted if found to be valid.
The election will be held on Tuesday. Voting will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the county’s 33 precincts.