Primary absentee voting deadline two weeks out

Published 4:02 pm Monday, February 23, 2026

Lauderdale County residents who will be unable to make it to their voting precinct on March 10 have just two weeks remaining to cast their votes via absentee ballot for the 2026 primary elections.

The Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk’s office will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 28, and again on March 7, to give residents who work during the week an opportunity to fill out an absentee ballot outside of regular business hours.

The March 10 elections are primary elections, which means voters will have to decide whether they want to participate in the Republican or Democratic primary. Unlike some states, which require voters to declare a party on their voter registration, Mississippi has open primaries, meaning voters can take part in either primary contest.

Mississippi voters this year will vote to fill one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats, as well as each of the state’s four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On the Republican primary ballot, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who has served in the Senate since 2018, is running for another term against challenger Sarah Alakha, a physician from the Gulf Coast. The candidate who wins the primary will go on to face the Democratic nominee in the November general election.

Also on the Republican ballot in Lauderdale County will be Rep. Michael Guest, who represents Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District. Guest is running unopposed for the party nomination and will not have a challenger in the primary.

On the Democratic ballot, Columbus District Attorney Scott Colom, retired Chicago Transit Authority worker Albert R. Littell and Priscilla W. Till, relative of Emmett Till, are facing off in a three-way contest for U.S. Senate. Colom was previously nominated by the Biden administration to serve as federal judge for the Northern District of Mississippi but opposition from Hyde-Smith prevented him from getting a confirmation hearing.

If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a runoff election between the two candidates with the most votes will be held April 7.

Also on the Democratic ticket will be Michael A. Chiaradio, a former professional baseball player and farmer in Shubuta, who is running against Guest. He is also running unopposed in the primary election.

The winners of the Republican Senate primary and Democratic Senate primary will go on to the general election, set for Nov. 3, where they will face each other and Independent candidate Ty Pinkins. Guest and Chiaradio will also be on the Nov. 3 ballot, along with Libertarian candidate Erik Kiehle.

Mississippi does not allow no-excuse absentee voting or early voting, and those planning to cast an absentee ballot will need to have a legitimate reason why they can’t vote in person on Election Day. Qualifying reasons include medical procedures, vacations, school or work, caregiving, being 65 years old or older and more.

Absentee ballots sent through the mail must be postmarked by Election Day to be counted.