Voters living in state House District 82 will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a special election to decide who will represent them at the capitol in Jackson.

 

Gov. Tate Reeves called the election in January following the death of Rep. Charles Young Jr., who represented District 82 for more than 12 years.

 

Three candidates have qualified to succeed Young and appear on voters’ ballots including Joe Norwood Sr., a longtime Lauderdale County Supervisor, Gregory Elliot, who serves on Meridian’s Civil Service Commission, and Meridian attorney Joseph Denson, a former public defender who operates his own law practice in the city.

 

Tuesday’s election is open to residents of House District 82 only, and residents can check if they are eligible to participate by looking at the number under REP on their voter registration card. According to the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk’s office just 13 of the county’s 37 voting precincts fall within the District 82 boundaries.

 

If one of the three candidates does not receive at least 50% of the vote plus one vote in the special election, a runoff will be held April 22 between the top two candidates.

 

Absentee voting is ongoing at the circuit clerk’s office through Saturday. The office will be open 8 a.m. to noon Saturday to give residents who cannot come during the work week a chance to vote via absentee.

 

Absentee voting is also underway in Meridian municipal primary elections, which are set for April 1. On the ballot will be races for Meridian’s mayor and five city council seats. Residents can request absentee ballots at City Hall, which will also be open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, and again on March 29, for residents to vote absentee.