Voters in Mississippi are gearing up to head to the polls on November 5 for a critical election that includes races for the White House, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
In the presidential contest, Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris will face off against Republican former President Donald Trump for the state’s six electoral votes. The ballot will also feature seven independent and third-party candidates, such as Jill Stein and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Notably, Kennedy had previously suspended his campaign in August and backed Trump.
Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican who has been in office since 2007, will be seeking a third full term and is being challenged by Democrat Ty Pinkins. Additionally, all four U.S. House seats from Mississippi—currently held by three Republicans and one Democrat—are also set for election, but they are considered to be in secure districts for the incumbents.
Mississippi voters will also participate in selecting candidates for various judicial races. The state’s voting patterns have shown a longstanding preference for Republican candidates, with the last Democratic victory occurring in 1976 when Jimmy Carter won against then-incumbent Republican Gerald Ford.
As the election approaches, here are the pertinent details for voters in Mississippi:
– **Election Day:** November 5
– **Poll Closing Time:** 8 p.m. ET
– **Presidential Electoral Votes:** 6, awarded to the statewide victor
– **Key Races and Candidates:**
– **President:** Kamala Harris (D) vs. Donald Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Independent), plus four additional candidates.
– **U.S. Senate:** Roger Wicker (R) vs. Ty Pinkins (D)
– **Other Relevant Races:** U.S. House, state Supreme Court, and Appeals Court positions
In the most recent presidential election in 2020, Trump secured 58% of the votes while Biden obtained 41%, with the race being officially called on November 3, 2020, at 8 p.m. ET.
The state currently has 2,112,669 registered voters as of October 2, 2024. Voter turnout during the 2020 presidential election reached 61% of registered voters, and pre-election voting accounted for approximately 18% of the total ballots cast in 2020, contrasting with only about 7% in 2022.
As for vote counting, in the 2020 election, the first results were reported shortly after 8 p.m. ET on November 3, and by midnight, around 60% of total votes had been accounted for.
Overall, the upcoming election will be a significant event for Mississippi voters, as they make their choices on numerous important races across state and national levels.