- Long Beach Breeze
Hurricane Zeta's Impact on the 2020 General Election
Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, causing damage and massive power outages along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With the in-person absentee voting deadline quickly approaching and Election Day right around the corner, our office is working diligently to ensure local county officials have access to the help they need.
"We’ve stressed the importance of teamwork from day one, and it’s paying dividends in the aftermath of Hurricane Zeta," said Secretary Watson. "I am proud of the hard work and dedication I’m seeing from our Circuit Clerks, first responders, utility providers, and our office. We will continue working together to make sure Mississippians voices are clearly heard on November 3rd."
Our Elections Division received the following update from Circuit Clerk Offices in the lower coastal counties.
George - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Greene - The Circuit Clerk's Office is currently without power, but absentee voting is still available.
Hancock - The Circuit Clerk's Office is without power but remains open.
Harrison - The Circuit Clerk's Office is currently without power and will remain closed today so local officials can asses damage from the storm. The Circuit Clerk's Office in Gulfport is open for absentee voting only. Voters are asked to use the West entrance.
Jackson - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Pearl River - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Perry - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
Stone - The Circuit Clerk's Office has power and is operating as usual.
All counties are assessing storm damage at polling places for Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd. Officials with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reached out to offer support and will be on standby to respond to any county needing assistance before, on, or after Election Day.
Secretary Watson remains in constant communication with leadership at Mississippi Power, Singing River Electric Cooperative Company, Coast Electric Power Association, Entergy, CSpire, AT&T and Sparklight. Once more information is received, another update will be made. Secretary Watson will continue to provide guidance and assistance to county election officials.