Mississippi voters urged to cure affidavit ballots before Nov. 10 deadline
Thousands of Mississippi voters marked as inactive must resolve ballot issues by Nov. 10 to ensure their votes are counted in the close Senate race.
Mississippi election officials say voters whose ballots were flagged for technical problems have until Nov. 10 to correct them, a step that could affect the outcome of the Senate contest between Democrat Scott Colom and Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. About 8,000 to 12,000 affidavit ballots remain pending, according to state reports.
Voters who cast an affidavit ballot because they lacked a photo ID must visit their local circuit clerk within five business days and present an acceptable form of identification or submit a religious-objection affidavit. Acceptable IDs include a state driver’s license or identification card, a U.S. passport, a tribal card, a student ID, or a state permit to carry a pistol or revolver.
The ACLU of Mississippi says many voters were marked “inactive” after a new vendor provided unreliable data for voter-roll maintenance, leading to a surge in affidavit ballots. Lydia Grizzell, advocacy director for the ACLU of Mississippi, urged anyone who submitted an affidavit ballot to follow up with the circuit clerk to confirm the ballot’s status and address any discrepancies during the curing window.
Lily Moens, policy director for Mississippi Votes, noted that changes to more than 100 precincts caused confusion, resulting in some voters casting affidavit ballots at the wrong precinct. Those ballots cannot be cured if the voter is registered elsewhere.
Voters can verify the status of their ballot on the secretary of state’s website. In addition, more than 120,000 Mississippians requested mail ballots, which also have a five-business-day grace period for processing as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.