Just 26% of the absentee ballot requests from the 2018 Midterms have been made and 15% of the 2020 federal elections.
According to a release by Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office, absentee ballot requests are currently lower this year than the last two congressional election cycles in the Magnolia State.
This year’s general election features races for the U.S. House of Representatives, special legislative election, intermediate appellate courts, and school boards.
Absentee ballot numbers were significantly lower – over 100,000 – thus far this cycle than in the 2020 general election, which included a presidential race. Those elections historically draw a larger turnout of residents who request absentee ballots and go to the polls.
However, compared with 2018, a non-presidential election year like this one in 2022, this year’s Midterm has seen over 50,000 absentee ballot requests less than four years ago.
By the Numbers
2022 General election:
- Ballots requested: 17,693
- Ballots sent: 16,884
- Ballots received: 10,186
2020 General Election (a presidential election year):
- Ballots requested: 120,253
- Ballots sent: 115,848
- Ballots received: 89,499
2018 General Election:
- Ballots requested: 67,889
- Ballots sent: 67,887
- Ballots received: 62,190
All mail-in ballots must be postmarked by November 8, Election Day, and received within five business days of that day in order to be counted.
Visit Y’ALL VOTE for more information on voting.
The Secretary of State’s office will not announce unofficial election results and will only do any announcement after certified election results are submitted to their office by each county. Counties have ten (10) calendar days from Election Day to file certified results with our office.
Sarah Ulmer
