Jackson Free Press

If you are planning to vote on Tuesday, don’t forget to bring a photo ID. In the 2011 November election 62 percent of Mississippi voters approved a Constitutional Amendment that requires voters to present photo IDs before casting in-person ballots at polls or circuit clerk offices.

The only exemptions to the voter ID law are those who have a religious objection to being photographed and don’t have an ID as a result or registered absentee voters. The Secretary of State’s Office lists 10 types of IDs acceptable:

1. A driver's license
   
2. A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi
   
3. A United States passport
   
4. A government employee ID card
   
5. A firearms license
   
6. A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college, or community/junior college
   
7. A United States military ID
   
8. A tribal photo ID
   
9. Any other photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the United States government or any State government
   
10. A Mississippi Voter Identification Card
    

If you have not registered to vote, it is too late to do so for the August election, but there is still time to register before November. In order to register to vote, you must be a resident of Mississippi for 30 days, at least 18 years old, not declared “mentally incompetent” by a court and not convicted in court of a crime (crimes listed here). You can register to vote at a circuit or municipal clerk’s office and must be registered for 30 days prior to an election for your vote to count.

Read candidate profiles and more JFP Election Coverage here .

The League of Women Voters of the Jackson Area released the results of a legislative candidate poll that asked candidates if they support Amendment (Initiative) 42 with the options: Yes, No or Undecided. So far, seven Senate candidates and eight House candidates have responded. See your candidate's stance below.

Senate Candidates

John Horhn (D): Yes
Hillman Frazier (D): Yes
Sollie Norwood (D): Yes
David Blount (D): Yes
Josh Harkins (R): No
William Billingsley (R): No
Kathryn Perry (D): Undecided