Pontotoc County reports 82 absentee ballots returned ahead of Nov. 3 election

Pontotoc County had 115 absentee ballot requests and 82 completed ballots returned for the Nov. 3 general election as of Oct. 12, according to a new report from the Mississippi Secretary of State. Two Saturday in-person voting sessions remain on the state’s calendar.

The county-by-county report lists 115 ballots sent and 82 received in Pontotoc County. The Secretary of State defines received ballots as completed absentee ballots returned to circuit clerk offices. The figures are an Oct. 12 administrative snapshot, not election results.

Eligible voters can vote absentee in person at their county circuit clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31. The final day for in-person absentee voting is Oct. 31.

Absentee voting is available only to voters who meet the applicable requirements, and the eligibility rules differ for voting in person and by mail. The Secretary of State’s absentee-voting FAQ and the county circuit clerk can help voters determine which process applies to them.

Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. The state’s current FAQ says those ballots must reach the circuit clerk by Tuesday, Nov. 10, to count.

Voters who have requested an absentee ballot can check its status through the Secretary of State’s My Election Day portal. Questions can also be directed to the state elections hotline at 1-800-829-6786.

Photo: Pontotoc News original illustration

Sources: Secretary of State’s Oct. 12 absentee-voting report; Oct. 12 absentee ballot statistics by county, page 2; Mississippi absentee-voting eligibility and deadlines