The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, County Circuit Clerks, and County Election Commissioners have received calls regarding a mailer sent by a private entity, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) implying you are not registered to vote.
Secretary of State Michael Watson said the mailer provides that, according to review by LDF, someone at the address may not be registered to vote and encourages completion and submission of a voter registration form.
"This is not official correspondence from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, County Circuit Clerks, or County Election Commissioners and is not an indication of a change in anyone’s voter registration status," said Watson.
Click here to view the mailer
Registering to vote outside of your legal voting district, or the place where you live, can be a federal crime.
Voters with questions about registration, voting locations and who is on the ballot can be answered by the Coahoma County Circuit Clerk's office at 662-624-3014.
"As we grow closer to the November election, it is critically important to remember you should get your election information from trusted sources, such as your local election officials and the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office," said Watson. "If you have questions about your voter registration status, please visit YallVote.ms to verify, or contact your County Circuit Clerk.
Mississippians can find the contact information for their County Circuit Clerk here.
For additional questions, please contact the Elections Hotline at 1-800-829-6786 or email ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov.
State law says anyone who seeks to influence the vote of any person by absentee ballot or offers anything of value for a vote, or destroys absentee ballots can be charged with voter fraud and upon conviction be fined not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 and be sentenced from one to five years in the state penitentiary, or both. The statute also includes those who offer to submit a ballot for something of value.
Questions or concerns about voting issues, policy and procedure for any election should be directed to the Secretary of State’s office at (601) 359-1350.
Questions or concerns about candidate qualifications, ethics and conduct while in office should be directed to the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division at (601) 359-4258.
Qualifications vary from office to office but the main requirements are to be a resident and qualified voter from the ward, district or county they plan to represent. Candidates may not have been convicted of a federal crime or certain Mississippi crimes defined as felonies punishable by incarceration in a state penitentiary, unless they have received a full pardon. They also may not be convicted of a crime in another state that is considered a felony under Mississippi law.
Candidates cannot have been legally declared mentally incompetent.
Candidates must fill out a statement of economic interest online within 15 days of qualifying with the Secretary of State and routinely throughout the year. The campaign finance report must document any contribution over $200. Failure to file these reports can result in fines and possible removal from office.
