Tippah County Election Ballot: What Voters Need to Know
Tippah County and Benton County voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the 2026 general election, and the Tippah County election ballot includes a U.S. Senate race, the 1st Congressional District seat and a special election for a north Mississippi seat on the state Court of Appeals. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at regular precinct locations in Ripley, Walnut, Blue Mountain, Falkner, Ashland, Hickory Flat and across both counties.
What’s on the Tippah County Election Ballot
Every voter in Tippah and Benton counties will see the federal races, plus a judicial contest that covers 23 north Mississippi counties:
- U.S. Senate: Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith, Democrat Scott Colom and independent Ty Pinkins.
- U.S. House, 1st Congressional District: Republican incumbent Trent Kelly, Democrat Cliff Johnson and Libertarian Johnny Baucom.
- Mississippi Court of Appeals, District 1, Position 1 (special election): Judge John Weddle, the incumbent, and Derek Hopson Jr. The race is nonpartisan.
Gov. Tate Reeves set the Court of Appeals special election to fill the remainder of the term for the District 1, Position 1 seat. Weddle, a former district attorney for the First Circuit Court District, was appointed to the court in 2024. The governor’s office lists Tippah and Benton among the 23 counties in the district, along with neighbors such as Alcorn, Union, Marshall, Lafayette and Lee.
Other judicial and local contests may also appear depending on where you live. Voters can confirm their precinct and check their sample ballot with the Tippah County or Benton County circuit clerk’s office or through the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office before heading out.
What to Bring and Know at the Polls
- Photo ID is required. A driver’s license, passport or other acceptable photo ID works. Voters without one may cast an affidavit ballot but must show a photo ID at the circuit clerk’s office within days after the election for the vote to count.
- Get in line by 7 p.m. Anyone in line when polls close is entitled to vote.
- No campaigning near the door. Campaign materials, including shirts or hats for a candidate, are not allowed within 150 feet of a polling place entrance.
- Absentee ballots by mail must be postmarked by Election Day. In-person absentee voting ended Saturday, Oct. 31.
Election Day Weather in Tippah County
The weather should cooperate for most of the voting day. The National Weather Service forecast for the Ripley area calls for a mostly cloudy Tuesday with a high near 77 and a breezy south-southeast wind of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph. Rain holds off until Tuesday night, when showers and thunderstorms are expected, with rainfall of 1 to 2 inches possible. Voters planning to go after work may want to go early in the evening before the storms arrive.
When to Expect Results
Counting begins after polls close at 7 p.m. Unofficial results for Tippah and Benton counties are usually reported later Tuesday night, with statewide totals from the Secretary of State’s office. Tippah News will post local results as they become available.
Related: Tippah County Rain Returns: Storms Sunday, Showers Election Day | Mississippians to vote Nov. 3
Source: Office of Gov. Tate Reeves; candidate list via Ballotpedia; forecast via National Weather Service
