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Can I vote by mail in Mississippi?
Only with a qualifying reason.
You need an approved reason, such as travel, illness or disability, age, or work. Check your state's list. If you don't qualify, early in-person voting is usually an option.
Mail-in ballots are available from Sept. 19. No fixed request deadline, but the ballot must be back within 5 business days after the election.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 5Passed
(mail or in person; no online registration)
- Request byTue, Oct 272 days
No fixed deadline. Give the mail time.
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day and received within 5 business days after (Nov. 10).
Dropping it off? There are no public drop boxes here, so the mail or an election office is your route.
Who can return it for you: You must return it yourself, with narrow exceptions. Mail-in absentee ballots go back by mail to the Circuit Clerk; the SOS handbook says hand delivery is illegal. No drop boxes. The voter FAQ doesn't say whether someone else may put it in the mail for you. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Fri, Nov 13 · 19 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Only a signature mismatch can be fixed: return the Absentee Cure Form the registrar sends you by email, fax, mail, courier or in person so it arrives by noon on Nov. 13, the 10th day after the election. Deadline: Fri, Nov 13 · 19 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Mississippi?
Will your ballot count in Mississippi?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Mississippi, and how to avoid it
- Extra step in your state: a notary must sign the envelope (a witness 18+ is allowed if you're temporarily or permanently disabled). This is the #1 reason ballots get tossed where it applies.
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Sat, Oct 31. Locations and hours
You must show an accepted photo ID. Without one you can cast a provisional ballot, but it only counts if you bring ID back to the election office within a few days.
Accepted: Valid MS driver's license (incl. Mississippi Mobile ID), any MS state agency photo ID, U.S. passport, government employee ID, firearms license, student photo ID from an accredited MS college, U.S. military ID, tribal photo ID, any other federal/state photo ID, Mississippi Voter ID Card (free). Without one: Vote by affidavit ballot; must show acceptable photo ID or apply for a Mississippi Voter ID Card at the Circuit Clerk's office within 5 business days or the ballot does not count. Religious objectors may vote affidavit and sign an affidavit within 5 days.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Mississippi has a Permanently Disabled List of Absentee Voters for voters with a permanent physical disability. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. One application to the Circuit Clerk with a physician's or nurse practitioner's statement; ballots then come for every election.
Mississippi cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Fri, Nov 20.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.