Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office issued a statement Thursday clarifying which elected offices in Mississippi require a majority vote and which are decided by a plurality, saying the update follows recent legislative changes.
“Ensuring Mississippi voters and election officials have clear, straightforward information about how our elections are decided is imperative,” Secretary of State Michael Watson said.
Watson’s office said state law requires some offices to be won by a majority vote, meaning a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes cast, while other offices are decided by a plurality, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins regardless of whether that total exceeds 50%.
Offices that require a candidate to receive a 50% plus one vote threshold include all eight statewide offices — governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, insurance commissioner and agriculture and commerce commissioner — judicial offices including the state Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit, chancery, justice and county courts, and county offices such as supervisors, sheriffs, constables, chancery and circuit clerks, coroners, tax assessors and collectors, elected county attorneys (if applicable), election commissioners and school boards, Watson’s office said.
Offices decided by a plurality include federal offices — president, U.S. Senate and U.S. House — state regional offices such as transportation commissioner, public service commissioner and district attorney, legislative offices in the state Senate and House of Representatives, and municipal offices including mayor and city council or board of aldermen, according to the statement.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
