- Mississippi « Mississippi SOS Selected Press Releases
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Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
MISSISSIPPI'S SIX PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS CAST ELECTORAL VOTE FOR PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT
JACKSON – The Presidential Electors of Mississippi gathered at the State Capitol Monday morning to cast their electoral votes for President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Mississippi's six electors, nominated by the Republican Party and selected by the voters of Mississippi during the 2020 General Election, included Frank Bordeaux, John Dane III, Francis C. Lee, Terry Reeves, E. Bruce Martin and Johnny McRight."It was an honor to oversee a function so intelligently crafted by our founding fathers who had the foresight to balance the interests of small rural states with those of larger states containing sprawling urban areas," said Secretary Michael Watson.
"The 2020 Election Cycle included more than 113,000 newly registered voters and the most votes ever cast in Mississippi’s storied election history. Incredibly thankful for every voter, poll manager, election official, legislative leader and Secretary of State team member who contributed to the success of our state’s safe and fair election process."
During the meeting, all six electors signed the Certificate of Vote, which certifies Mississippi's electoral votes for the 2020 General Election. The Certificate of Vote, along with the Certificate of Ascertainment completed by Governor Reeves, will be sent to the following:
- Mike Pence, President of the United States Senate
- Chief District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, Southern District of Mississippi
- David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States
- Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
UPDATE - CERTIFIED 2020 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS
JACKSON – After publishing certified 2020 General Election results to our website Thursday, our office received notice that Coahoma County decertified their results due to minor miscalculations. County officials provided an amended recapitulation report, which is available on our website under the original report. The amended report does not affect the outcome of any election, but it does slightly affect statewide totals.Our office remains committed to being transparent, open and honest about the elections process, and we will continue to work closely with local election officials to ensure results in the future are accurate and timely.
Click here to view certified 2020 General Election results.
For more information about State election laws or other election information, visit Y’all Vote (yallvote.ms) or call the Elections Division at (601) 576-2545.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 4, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
CERTIFIED 2020 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS AVAILABLE ON SOS WEBSITE
JACKSON – Certified results from the 2020 General Election are now available on the Secretary of State's website. Data from the Statewide Election Management System (SEMS) showed a total of 1,313,759 legal votes cast for President of the United States, which is roughly eight percent (8%) higher than the 1,209,357 legal votes cast in the 2016 presidential election. Mississippi saw a tremendous increase in absentee voting as well. SEMS reported a total of 239,487 absentee ballots received, which is more than twice the amount of absentee ballots received in 2016 (102,915)."I am incredibly proud of the extraordinary voter turnout this year and the effort our team put in to uphold the integrity of the election process under challenging circumstances. Precincts across the state were undoubtedly the safest and cleanest in Mississippi history. I look forward to working with Circuit Clerks, Election Commissioners, legislative leadership and voters across the state to help further strengthen our election process."
Click here to view certified 2020 General Election results.
All certified results from the 2020 Election Cycle are available on the Election Results page of our website. For more information about State election laws or other election information, visit Y’all Vote (yallvote.ms) or call the Elections Division at (601) 576-2545.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 20, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SECRETARY
WATSON: 2020 GENERAL ELECTION
RESULTS
Under Mississippi law, following an
election, the counties have 10 days to
certify their election results. Our
office has a total of 30 days from the
date of the election to aggregate all
votes cast from Mississippi’s 82
counties. While cross-checking and
reviewing the county certifications, our
office noticed a few minor errors with
the number of undervotes and overvotes
reported specifically relating to the
three ballot measures. We are currently
working with these counties to correct
the errors and will post amended county
recapitulation reports for each county
once the corrected certified results are
uploaded.Since receiving official recapitulation reports, two counties have reported additional errors. One county entered their results incorrectly, but the county has since submitted an “Amended” recapitulation report. Another county notified our office approximately 70 of their ballots had not been counted, but is currently in the process of amending its results to reflect these additional ballots. If any county submits an amended recapitulation report, both the original and amended report will be posted to our website for public viewing.
While these errors will have no impact on the final results of our recent general election, I’m committed to being completely transparent, open and honest to make sure Mississippians have full faith in our elections process. As long as I am Secretary of State, every legally cast vote will be counted.
Final results will be posted on here or before December 3, 2020.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
2020 GENERAL ELECTION: POST-ELECTION DAY UPDATE
JACKSON – On Election Day, our office received more than 1,300 calls from voters with common, Election-related questions or reports of minor problems at polling places. Other than longer, unexpected wait times due to high voter turnout, no major, statewide issues were reported to our office."I cannot say enough about the perseverance, flexibility and commitment from our Circuit Clerks, Election Commissioners and poll managers on Election Day," said Secretary Watson. "They did something their predecessors never had to worry about: execute a General Election in the middle of a global pandemic. Let's also not forget about our election officials along the Coast who had to couple the stress of the pandemic with the aftermath of a Category 2 hurricane. While some may view the long lines on Election Day as troublesome, I view it as a win for our county election officials, an encouraging display of civic engagement and an opportunity to strengthen our state's voting process.
As all of us debrief the 2020 Election Cycle, I'm seeing and hearing countless suggestions about ways to improve our voting system. Before any changes are made, it's essential to receive input from the individuals engaged in the election process. Whether it's introducing new technology, adding additional machines within precincts and/or additional precincts, adding more poll managers, increased training, or more voter education, Clerks, Commissioners, and legislative leaders should have a seat at the table. Earlier this year, I made a commitment to meet and have in-depth discussions with Clerks and Commissioners in all 82 Counties. As of today, we've met with 26 counties and received beneficial feedback and ideas regarding our state's overall election process. I look forward to continuing these discussions and brainstorming ways to make it as easy as possible for all legally-registered Mississippi voters to cast their ballot, while maintaining a sharp focus on upholding the integrity of the process."
Thankfully, our Cybersecurity team detected no abnormal activity on our websites or the Statewide Election Management System (SEMS) during Election Day. As of today, Friday, November 6, 2020, SEMS reported a total of 248,558 absentee ballots requested, 248,003 absentee ballots sent, and 238,427 absentee ballots received for the 2020 General Election. As a reminder, Tuesday, November 10, is the day Circuit Clerk Offices must be in receipt of all mail-in absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.
Under our new administrative rules, if an absentee ballot is rejected because the signature on the absentee application does not match the signature on the absentee ballot envelope, Circuit Clerk Offices must notify that voter of the rejection and give an opportunity to cure the ballot. Voters have the option to complete a Cure Form at their local Circuit Clerk's Office, or the Circuit Clerk will mail, email, or fax a Cure Form to the voter. In order for the absentee ballot to count, all Cure Forms must be completed and filed with the county by noon on Friday, November 13, 2020.
Any voter who cast an affidavit ballot on Election Day because the voter did not have an acceptable form of photo ID must visit their local Circuit Clerk's Office by Tuesday, November 10, 2020, to show an acceptable form of photo identification. As a reminder, voters can receive a free Mississippi Voter ID card by filling out an application at their local Circuit Clerk's Office. Our office has issued more than 8,000 free Voter IDs since the Voter ID Law became effective in 2014
.
Click here to learn more about how to obtain a free Voter ID.
As counties release unofficial results, we've received numerous questions about the next steps for each statewide ballot measure. Please see below for information regarding the implementation process for Initiative 65/Alternative Measure 65A, House Concurrent Resolution 47 and the State Flag Referendum.
Initiative 65/Alternative Measure 65A
The Secretary of State's Office has 30 days from Election Day to certify results from the 2020 General Election. Pursuant to Section 23-17-41 Miss.Code Ann., "an initiative approved by the electors shall take effect thirty (30) days from the date of the official declaration of the vote by the Secretary of State, unless the measure provides otherwise."
House Concurrent Resolution 47
The Secretary of State’s Office has 30 days from Election Day to certify results from the 2020 General Election. Once all results are certified and if the amendment received a majority of the vote required by the Constitution, the amendment will be inserted in the State Constitution through a proclamation from our office.
State Flag Referendum
The Secretary of State’s Office has 30 days from Election Day to certify results from the 2020 General Election. Once all results are certified and if a majority of the qualified electors voted "Yes," to the proposed design, then “the Legislature shall enact into law the new design as the official Mississippi State Flag during the next regular session of the Legislature after the election.” (Pursuant to House Bill 1796)
As a reminder, our office will not announce unofficial election results. We will only announce and post certified election results submitted to our office by the counties. Counties have ten (10) calendar days from Election Day to file certified results with our office. All certified election results from the 2020 Election Cycle will be posted here on our website.
For more information about state election laws or Election Day information, visit Y'all Vote or call the Elections Division Hotline at (601)576-2550.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
2020 GENERAL ELECTION: ELECTION DAY REMINDERS
JACKSON – Polls for the 2020 General Election open at 7 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3, and close at 7 p.m. Any voter in line at 7 p.m. is entitled to cast a ballot. The 2020 General Election ballot features races for United States President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and Supreme Court Justices along with possible local races. Mississippians will also have the opportunity to vote on three statewide ballot measures: Initiative 65 & Alternative Measure 65A, House Concurrent Resolution 47, and the State Flag Referendum.Click here to view a sample ballot.
Our office will have observers in precincts across the State. Problems at the polls observed by State observers or otherwise reported to the Elections Division will be referred to the authorities, including the Attorney General’s Office or appropriate District Attorney’s Office. The Secretary of State’s Office has no enforcement authority to resolve problems.
Election Day
Reminders
Mail-In Absentee Voting Deadline:
All mail-in absentee ballots must be
postmarked by Election Day (November 3)
and received within five business days
of Election Day in order to count.Polling Place Location: Please contact your county Circuit Clerk’s Office or local Election Commissioners for updates regarding your polling place. Several counties have changed polling places since the 2020 Primary Election.
Click here to view a list of the polling place changes reported to our office.
Voter Photo ID: Voters are required to show photo identification at the polls. A voter without an acceptable form of photo identification is entitled to cast an affidavit ballot. An affidavit ballot may be counted if the voter provides an acceptable form of photo identification to the Circuit Clerk’s Office within five business days after the election. Click here for more information.
Campaigning: It is unlawful to campaign for any candidate or ballot measure within 150 feet of any entrance to a polling place, unless on private property.
Loitering: The polling places should be clear for 30 feet from every entrance of all people except elections officials, voters waiting to vote, or authorized poll watchers.
Camera Phones: Voters are prohibited from taking pictures of their marked ballot.
COVID-19: Our office supplied every county with COVID-19 safety supplies and personal protective equipment for poll managers. County officials have been instructed to sanitize and disinfect high-touch areas at each precinct. Voters are encouraged to practice good hygiene and follow CDC guidelines at the polls.
Click here for more information regarding COVID-19 safety at the polls.
For more information about state election laws or Election Day information, visit Y'all Vote or call the Elections Division Hotline at (601)576-2550.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 30, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
HURRICANE ZETA'S IMPACT ON THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION
JACKSON - Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, causing damage and massive power outages along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With the in-person absentee voting deadline quickly approaching and Election Day right around the corner, our office is working diligently to ensure local county officials have access to the help they need."We’ve stressed the importance of teamwork from day one, and it’s paying dividends in the aftermath of Hurricane Zeta," said Secretary Watson. "I am proud of the hard work and dedication I’m seeing from our Circuit Clerks, first responders, utility providers, and our office. We will continue working together to make sure Mississippians voices are clearly heard on November 3rd."
Our Elections Division received the following update from Circuit Clerk Offices in the lower coastal counties.
George - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.All counties are assessing storm damage at polling places for Election Day (Tuesday, November 3rd). Officials with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reached out to offer support and will be on standby to respond to any county needing assistance before, on or after Election Day.
Click here for future updates.
Greene - The Circuit Clerk's Office is currently without power, but absentee voting is still available.
Click here for future updates.
Hancock - The Circuit Clerk's Office is without power but remains open.
Click here for future updates.
Harrison - The Circuit Clerk's Office is currently without power and will remain closed today so local officials can asses damage from the storm. The Circuit Clerk's Office in Gulfport is open for absentee voting only. Voters are asked to use the West entrance.
Click here for future updates.
Jackson - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Click here for future updates.
Pearl River - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Click here for future updates.
Perry - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Click here for future updates.
Stone - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Click here for future updates.
Under Mississippi’s Armed Services Absentee Voting Law, any voter serving as a trained or certified emergency response provider on Election Day qualifies as a Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voter and may vote absentee. For more information regarding how to cast a UOCAVA ballot, please contact your county election officials or email UOCAVA@sos.ms.gov.
Secretary Watson remains in constant communication with leadership at Mississippi Power, Singing River Electric Cooperative Company, Coast Electric Power Association, Entergy, CSpire, AT&T and Sparklight. We will continue to provide guidance and assistance to county election officials and will issue another update once we've received more information.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
OP-ED FROM SECRETARY WATSON: 2020 GENERAL ELECTION: PREPARATION IS KEY
The elections landscaping is steadily changing, and often, with change comes confusion. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted several changes to state election laws and voting procedures, leaving many voters unsure about how, when, and where to cast their ballot for the 2020 General Election. While presidential elections are a national conversation, it is important to remember elections are administered at the local level with different laws in place for each state. Mississippians must stay vigilant when it comes to election information and prepare accordingly before hitting the polls.Everyone expects the polling place environment to be a bit different on November 3rd. While this year’s changes will not greatly affect many people, I would like to walk you through a few of the adjustments, so you can know what to expect. To start, the absentee voting exception for those with a temporary or permanent physical disability, which was already an eligible excuse for mail-in absentee voting, now includes, but is not limited to, those who are under a physician-imposed quarantine, or those who are caring for a dependent who is under a physician-imposed quarantine, due to COVID-19. Mail-in absentee ballots may be received up to five business days after the election if the envelope is postmarked on or before Election Day. Additionally, absentee ballots will now be the final vote, which means those who vote absentee may not appear on Election Day and cast a regular ballot. Due to COVID-19, some polling places have been moved or consolidated according to social distancing guidelines, so please make sure to verify your polling place prior to voting on Election Day. An easy way to verify these changes is to access the polling place locator on our Y’all Vote website (www.yallvote.ms).
National and state social distancing guidelines have indeed forced most of us to spend more time online. With increased internet activity comes a heightened level of misinformation surrounding elections. The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) recently launched #TrustedInfo2020 – an education effort to promote election officials as the trusted sources of election information. The goal is to combat misinformation by driving voters directly to election officials’ websites and social media pages. Whether you are looking for information regarding your voting precinct or your voter registration status, the Secretary of State’s Office and county election officials will always be the most reliable resources.
As Mississippi’s Chief Election Officer, one of my top priorities is making sure the information we push out is easy to understand and easily accessible. We updated our website to include a list of recent changes to state election laws, step-by-step guides for each voting process, and answers to frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 safety at the polls. We have also started a series of “Election Check-In” videos on our social media pages, which remind voters about upcoming deadlines and other useful information relative to our state’s election process. While I am proud of the fantastic work from our office, a successful election requires more than just strategic communication; it requires a team effort.
With the invaluable help of the Mississippi National Guard, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Agriculture, our office distributed 117 pallets of COVID-19 safety supplies to all 82 counties for Election Day. On November 3rd, every precinct in the state will be equipped with hand sanitizer, pens or styluses, germicide spray, and masks for those who need them. Because Mississippi is a bottom-up state and the counties are responsible for conducting elections, each county has taken charge of its own social distancing efforts. Voters will have the option to wear a mask while voting on Election Day, but our newly-adopted administrative rules require all poll managers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Our administrative rules also allow any voter who states he/she has had significant exposure to COVID-19, or is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 (including, but not limited to coughing, vomiting, headaches, fever, sore throat, congestion, or loss of taste and/or smell), to have a curbside voting option. Under the new rules, poll managers may direct the voter to an open-air voting option outside the physical structure of the polling place and away from other voters entering or exiting the polling place. They may also direct the voter to curbside vote from their motor vehicle.
While COVID-19 safety guidelines are of the utmost importance, preparation should not stop there. I strongly encourage you to study the sample ballot on our website and familiarize yourself with the candidates and ballot measures listed. Far too often, we as voters let the top of the ballot, such as candidates for President and United States Senate, dominate the headlines and drive us to the polls. While these are important, there are important races at stake down the ballot. For example, depending on the district in which you reside, races such as United States Representative, State Supreme Court, and local special elections need your attention as well. This year, alongside several down-ballot races, Mississippians can expect to find three ballot measures. Initiative measures 65 and 65A address implementing a medical marijuana program to allow the use of marijuana for qualifying persons with debilitating medical conditions. The second ballot measure, House Concurrent Resolution 47, addresses amending the process for the election of statewide officeholders. The amendment proposes removing the current requirement for a candidate to receive a majority of votes statewide and a majority of the 122 house districts and instead requires candidates to simply win a majority of votes statewide. By chance there was a tie, it would move to a runoff election. The third and final ballot measure, House Bill 1796, addresses the state flag referendum--a color copy of the newly-proposed flag design will be provided.
None of us could have ever predicted we would be voting for these measures during a global pandemic, but each of us has the opportunity to ensure this election is not used as an open door for fraud or political chaos. While state and county election officials continue to work together to uphold the integrity of our election process, I encourage all voters to develop a voting plan that aligns with your health and safety needs, as well as state laws. Use this time to get to know your trusted sources, verify your voter registration status, evaluate your voting options, double-check your precinct location, and study your county-specific ballot. The voting process will undoubtedly look and feel different for each of us this year, but all of us can prepare accordingly and do our part to contribute toward a safe and fair general election.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SECRETARY WATSON RE: NEWLY-ADOPTED ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
House Bills 1521 and 824 (Laws of 2020, Regular Session) authorized the Secretary of State’s Office to develop administrative rules with regard to absentee voting and polling place safety. Our office adopted rules that ensure absentee ballots are considered a voter’s final vote. In the event a ballot is rejected due to a signature mismatch, the voter is given an opportunity to cure the rejection in accordance with the administrative rules. In addition, the newly-adopted rules provide regulations concerning safety for in-person voting. Our office will continue to work with county election officials to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and ensure it is as safe as possible to vote in person on Election Day.Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 2, 2020
CONTACT: Kendra James
COVID-19 SAFETY PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION
JACKSON – Our office remains committed to ensuring local election officials have the necessary items to make voting precincts as safe as possible on Election Day. Today, the Mississippi National Guard assisted our office by distributing 117 palates of COVID-19 safety supplies with an estimated value of more than $542,000."In the beginning stages of the current pandemic, our team made a commitment to do all we could to ensure clean and safe precincts so Mississippians could feel both comfortable and confident casting their votes on Election Day," said Secretary of State Michael Watson. "These will be the cleanest and safest precincts Mississippi voters have ever seen. I couldn’t be more proud of the fine men and women in our office who pitched in to help execute our plan. Additionally, we couldn’t have done it without the help of our Circuit Clerks and Election Commissioners, as well as the good folks at MEMA, the National Guard and the Department of Agriculture."
Hand Sanitizer--------------8,760
2-liter bottles Masks-------111,350
Face Shields----------------13,077
Gloves-----------------------151,900 pairs
Disinfecting Wipes--------7,776 packs
Germicidal Cleaner--------2,120 packets
Pens-------------------------750,000
Styluses--------------------750,000
The items were purchased with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funds given to our state for the 2020 federal election cycle. Each palate contained boxes of masks, face shields, gloves, disinfecting wipes, germicidal cleaner, and one-time-use pens and styluses -- all of which are products from Mississippi vendors. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) donated roughly 8,700 bottles of hand sanitizer for the counties as well.
“We at MEMA are happy to help ensure that all Mississippians are protected while exercising their right to vote," said MEMA Executive Director, Greg Michel. "This pandemic has taken lives, but we hope with the help of this PPE, it will not hinder one of the greatest privileges we have as Americans, voting.”
County election officials will pick up the supplies from local distribution areas and distribute the items to precincts before Election Day. While the Mississippi State Department of Health data shows a consistent decline in COVID-19 cases, our office will continue to encourage COVID-19 preventative measures at the polls. For additional COVID-19 safety information regarding the 2020 General Election, please visit our Y'all Vote website (yallvote.ms).
Copyright © 2020 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in
Action. All rights reserved.