Nov. 3 election offers opportunity to cast ballots for U.S. Senator, Congressman and local judges
By Toni Miles
The 2026 midterm elections, set for November 3, will determine representation in Congress and other offices across the country. Mississippi’s statewide and congressional races include positions for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Harrison County’s published election schedule lists polling hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The county’s schedule lists October 29-31 as the final dates for eligible in-person, no-excuse early absentee voting. The deadline for in-person absentee voting is Saturday, October 31.
Mississippi’s absentee voting rules include eligibility requirements, so voters should contact their local election officials to determine whether they qualify and what documentation may be required.
The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office reported October 12 that 24,004 absentee ballots had been requested statewide; 23,505 had been sent to voters; and 17,591 completed ballots had been received.
The figures provide a snapshot of absentee voting activity across Mississippi as election officials prepare for November 3.
At the polls, voters must present an acceptable form of photo identification when voting in person. Acceptable forms of photo identification include: a driver’s license, state-issued photo ID, U.S. passport, student ID from a state university or college, firearms license, tribal ID or a Mississippi Voter Identification Card. Mississippi Voter Identification cards are free and available at the local Chancery Clerk’s office in Harrison County.
To be eligible to vote in the November 3 election, voters must have been registered thirty days prior to election day (October 5), which was also the deadline to update voter registration information.
To qualify to vote absentee, in-person absentee voting began on September 19 and continues through October 31 at the Chancery Clerk’s Office at the Harrison County Courthouse in downtown Gulfport. Mail-in absentee ballots became available on September 19.
Voters who do not have an acceptable form of photo ID may cast an affidavit ballot and have an opportunity to provide acceptable identification after Election Day.
Harrison County’s election information is available at harrison.countyclerk.us/elections, while statewide election resources can be found through the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website at sos.ms.gov.
