Oct. 5 Voter Registration Deadline Nears in Tippah, Benton
Tippah County and Benton County residents who want to vote in the Nov. 3 general election have one week left to get on the rolls. The voter registration deadline is Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, according to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. Anyone who is not registered by then, in person or by a mail-in application postmarked that day, will not be able to cast a ballot in November.
How to Meet the Voter Registration Deadline
Mississippians register through the circuit clerk in their county of residence. There are two ways to do it before the deadline:
- In person: Visit your county circuit clerk’s office by close of business Monday, Oct. 5.
- By mail: Fill out the state’s mail-in voter registration application and make sure it is postmarked no later than Oct. 5.
In Tippah County, voter registration is handled by Circuit Clerk Phil Koon’s office in Ripley, which can be reached at 662-837-7370. Benton County residents register through the Benton County Circuit Clerk’s office in Ashland.
Not sure whether you are already registered, or whether your address is current? The Secretary of State’s My Election Day portal lets voters look up their registration status and find their polling place. Voters who have moved since the last election should check their record now, while there is still time to fix it.
Absentee Voting Is Already Underway
The Secretary of State’s Office announced Sept. 21 that absentee ballots for the 2026 general election are now available from county circuit clerks. Voters who qualify for an absentee ballot under state law can request one from their circuit clerk, and the state’s Y’all Vote website explains who is eligible.
Key absentee dates for Tippah and Benton voters:
- Saturday, Oct. 24: Circuit clerk offices open for in-person absentee voting, 8 a.m. to noon.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: Second Saturday session, 8 a.m. to noon, and the last day for in-person absentee voting.
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day. Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date.
What’s Different About In-Person Absentee Voting This Year
A 2026 state law, House Bill 859, changes how in-person absentee ballots are handled. Voters still mark a paper ballot, but instead of sealing it in an envelope, they now feed it directly into the voting machine, the same way it is done on Election Day. Those ballots are not tabulated until election night.
The Secretary of State’s Office said the change is meant to eliminate technical problems such as a voter forgetting to sign across the flap on the back of the absentee envelope, a mistake that could get a ballot rejected. Mail-in absentee voting is not changing.
What’s on the Nov. 3 Ballot
This fall’s general election is a midterm with federal races at the top of the ticket. According to the ballot published by the Southern Sentinel, Tippah County voters will choose a U.S. senator, with Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, Democrat Scott Colom and independent Ty Pinkins in the race, and a representative for Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District, where Republican incumbent Trent Kelly faces Democrat Cliff Johnson and Libertarian Johnny Baucum.
The ballot also includes nonpartisan judicial races for the state Court of Appeals, Chancery Court District 16 and Circuit Court District 3, which includes Tippah and Benton counties. Tippah County voters in supervisor District 1 will also elect an election commissioner.
Mississippi voters must show an acceptable photo ID at the polls.
Questions?
The Secretary of State’s Elections Division runs a voter hotline at 1-800-829-6786 and answers questions by email at ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov. Local questions about registration, absentee eligibility or polling places can go to your county circuit clerk.
Related: Tippah County News Today, Sept. 12: Nov. 3 Ballot Set | Secretary of State clarifies which races require majority vote
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office
