This Saturday, August 2, is the last day for in-person absentee voting in the special primary election for seats in newly redrawn State House and Senate districts.
If you live in one of the legislative districts listed below and can’t get to the polls for the primary on Tuesday, August 5, please be sure to go by your Circuit Clerk’s office to vote absentee. Circuit Clerks’ offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and this Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until noon.
Several of these races have candidates from only one party, which means the race will be decided in the primary election.
One of the most important things we can do for our children and our public schools is to elect legislators who are responsive to constituents and who vote in support of public education. You can see what the candidates themselves say about public school funding, vouchers, pre-k, and other important education matters on the Candidate Q&A section of our website .
The legislative districts that are contested in this election are:
- House District 16 – parts of Chickasaw, Lee, Monroe, and Pontotoc counties. Will be decided in August 5 primary election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- House District 22 – parts of Chickasaw, Clay, and Monroe counties. No contested primary election; will be decided in the November 4 general election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- House District 41 – parts of Lowndes County. Will be decided in the August 5 primary election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 1 – parts of DeSoto and Tate counties. Contested primary election on August 5 and contested general election on November 4. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 2 – parts of DeSoto and Tunica counties. Contested primary election on August 5 and contested general election on November 4. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 11 – parts of Coahoma, DeSoto, Quitman, Tate, and Tunica counties. Contested primary election on August 5 and contested general election on November 4. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 19 – parts of DeSoto County. No contested primary election; will be decided in the November 4 general election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 42 – parts of Forrest, Greene, Jones, and Wayne counties. Will be decided in August 5 primary election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 44 – parts of Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties. Contested primary election on August 5 and contested general election on November 4. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
- Senate District 45 – parts of Forrest and Lamar counties. No contested primary election; will be decided in the November 4 general election. See candidates’ responses to our education questionnaire.
If candidates in your district have not completed the survey, send them this link to the downloadable survey and encourage them to participate.
The involvement of the Betsy DeVos national voucher super PAC (the AFC Victory Fund) in this race makes it all the more important for people to know the truth about the candidates. The stated goal of that PAC is to get “school choice” candidates elected, and underhanded campaign tactics are standard for these pro-voucher billionaires. Turnout in special election primaries is typically low, which means your vote counts more. If you don’t vote, that hurts more.
Here are ways you can help:
- Share the link to our Candidate Q&A on your own social media
- Post warnings about the AFC Victory Fund Super PAC, which is paying for ads and mailers to elect pro-voucher candidates
- Use our Election Toolkit to support your candidate of choice (put a sign in your yard, knock on doors, man a phone bank, wave signs on election day, write postcards to voters, send a donation)
- Use your social media to remind others to vote absentee now or on primary election day, August 5
- VOTE, either by absentee ballot now or in the August 5 primary and November 4 general elections
- Take a friend or two with you to the polls
Please also continue to contact Gov. Reeves about the recently passed federal tax-credit vouchers. While the legislation does give states the option of participating in the program (or not), it is possible that Gov. Reeves will be the person to decide whether or not Mississippi opts in, and he almost certainly will have great influence no matter who makes the final decision. He needs to hear from you.
Please call Gov. Reeves and let him know that we DO NOT want the federal tax-credit vouchers in Mississippi.
Gov. Reeves: 601.359.3150
Your phone calls work – at both the state and federal levels. After hearing from public school supporters in Mississippi and across the nation, the Trump administration now has released the remaining $5-billion in federal education funding that was withheld in June, including $51-million owed to Mississippi schools.
We are so thankful that our children have terrific supporters like you standing up for them! Your help in this special election and your call to Gov. Reeves can help us fend off vouchers, protect the viability of our public schools, and ensure brighter futures for Mississippi kids. Together, we’ve got this!
