Mississippi voters living in towns and cities across the state will head to the polls on Tuesday, April 1 for municipal primaries to select Democratic and Republican candidates for mayor, city council and boards of aldermen. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If no candidate earns more than 50% of the vote in a particular primary race, it will head to a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes on Tuesday, April 22.
Independent candidates for mayor and city council positions will not appear on the April 1 primary ballots but will be on the June 3 general election ballots.
Lumumba Faces Jackson Challengers
In Jackson, Miss., a lineup of 15 mayoral candidates, including 12 Democrats and three Republicans, are hoping to unseat incumbent Democratic Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba following allegations of bribery and his indictment on federal charges.
Candidates Rodney DePriest, Kim Wade and Zach Servis, who are running as independent candidates for mayor, will not appear on Tuesday’s ballot in Jackson.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi Judge Daniel P. Jordan set the trial date for Lumumba, Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens for July 13, 2026—more than a year after the general election..
Each Jackson City Council candidate also drew challengers. Jackson voters can confirm which ward they live in using this tool.
Residents in both Ward 6 and Ward 7 are guaranteed to have new representation. Councilman Banks and Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay are not running for re-election this year.
Lindsay thanked her constituents in a Jan. 6 press release, calling it an honor and pleasure to serve. “It is impossible to list everything we have done in this brief statement because it is the day-to-day decision-making, voting on tough issues, and behind-the-scenes negotiating that are the most critical, and yet most taxing part of being a council member, and especially as the council president,” she said.
Ashby Foote, Grace Greene, Marcus T. Jackson, Ray McCants and Ron Aldridge–who are running as independent candidates for city council positions across Jackson–will not appear on the ballot on Primary Election Day.
On June 3, independents will face off against the Republican and Democratic nominees in their wards.
Who Can Vote
Any Mississippi resident who registered to vote at least 30 days before the primaries may vote on Tuesday. Voters may choose to vote in either the Republican primaries or Democratic primaries, but in the event of a runoff, a voter may only cast a ballot in the runoff for the party they selected in the April 1 primary. If a voter does not vote in the primaries on April 1 but decides to vote in the subsequent runoff, they can choose either party.
If you registered to vote in the past but are not sure whether your voter registration is active or if you are registered at your current residence, you can check your registration status at this link.
If a registered voter’s name does not appear in the poll book, that voter has the right under Mississippi law to request an affidavit ballot. Affidavit voters are entitled to be notified whether or not their votes are counted and, if not, why.
Where To Vote
The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office’s My Election Day tool provides voters with polling place location information. However, Mississippi Free Press investigations have found that the polling place information the tool uses is not always correct.
You can contact your county election officials to verify your polling place using the contact information provided on the Secretary of State’s website.
When To Vote
Polls statewide are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1. Any voter who is in line by 7 p.m. can vote if they remain in line.
Voter ID Requirements
To cast a ballot, voters must bring an accepted form of photo identification under the state’s voter ID law. Accepted IDs include:
- A driver’s license
- A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi
- A U.S. passport
- A government employee ID card
- A firearms license
- A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college, or community/junior college
- A U.S. military ID
- A tribal photo ID
- Any other photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. government or any State government
- A Mississippi Voter Identification Card
More information on voter ID is available here.
How To Get A Free Voter Identification Card
Mississippians who do not have any of the above photo IDs may obtain a free Mississippi Voter Identification Card by visiting their local circuit clerk’s office (contact information and addresses for your county’s circuit clerk are available at this link). After applying for a voter-identification card, voters will receive the ID in the mail. However, voters who apply for a voter ID card within 45 days of an election may use the receipt they obtained from their circuit clerk’s office when applying for the card to vote on Election Day.
Any voter who shows up to the polls without either an accepted form of photo ID or a recent Mississippi Voter Identification Card application receipt can vote by affidavit. The vote will be counted only if the voter shows an accepted form of photo ID to the circuit clerk’s office within five business days after the election.
Overseas and Military Voters
Mississippians who reside overseas, including military service members, can vote by email. For more information, contact the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Elections Hotline at 1-800-829-6786 or send an email to UOCAVA@sos.ms.gov.
Polling Place Reminders
The secretary of state’s office has repeatedly provided these reminders ahead of elections.
- It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate within 150 feet of any entrance to a polling place, unless on private property.
- The polling places should be clear 30 feet from every entrance of all people except election officials, voters waiting to vote, or authorized poll watchers.
- Voters are prohibited from taking pictures of their marked ballot.
For Future Elections
If you are not already registered to vote, you will not be able to cast a ballot in the June 3 elections, but you can find information on how to register to vote in future elections at this link. Voters who need to update their voter registration information can do so at this link.
