Elections and Voting
Voting is very important to the forward movement of our city. Please see the resources below for registering, election districts and more. Please note: voter identification is required for all elections.
**IMPORTANT NOTICE**: While Municipal Election Voting Precincts are listed below, voting precincts may vary for federal, state and county elections. If you need assistance determining where to cast a ballot for any future election, please contact our office or the Hancock County Circuit Clerk's Office by calling 228-467-5265. **
Municipal Election Voting Precincts:
Ward 1: Diamondhead City Hall Activity Center
5000 Diamondhead Circle
Wards 2, 3 & 4: Diamondhead Community Center
5300 Diamondhead Circle
City of Diamondhead Voter Registrar, Jeannie Klein
5000 Diamondhead Circle, Diamondhead, MS 39525
228-222-4626 | jklein@diamondhead.ms.gov
MISSISSIPPI VOTER ELECTION INFORMATION
Primary Elections
Party candidates are nominated through primary elections. A voter may vote in either party’s primary, and cast a ballot for that party’s nominees to the general election. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes in a primary, a run-off is held between the two candidates receiving the most votes. A voter who votes in the primary of one party may not “crossover” to vote in the run-off of another party. By law, primary elections are run by each political party’s county or municipal executive committee with oversight from the state party executive committees. Circuit and Municipal Clerks also provide support.
§ 23-15-171. Primary elections.
(1) Municipal primary elections shall be held on the first Tuesday in April preceding the general municipal election and, in the event a second primary shall be necessary, such second primary shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in April preceding such general municipal election. The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast in the election shall be the party nominee. If no candidate shall receive a majority vote at the election, the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall have their names placed on the ballot for the second primary election. The candidate receiving the most votes cast in the second primary election shall be the party nominee. However, if no candidate shall receive a majority vote at the first primary, and there is a tie in the election of those receiving the next highest vote, those candidates receiving the next highest vote and the candidate receiving the highest vote shall have their names placed on the ballot for the second primary election, and whoever receives the most votes cast in the second primary election shall be the party nominee. At the primary election the municipal executive committee shall perform the same duties as are specified by law and performed by members of the county executive committee with regard to state and county primary elections. Each municipal executive committee shall have as many members as there are elective officers of the municipality, and the members of the municipal executive committee of each political party shall be elected in the primary elections held for the nomination of candidates for municipal offices. The provisions of this section shall govern all municipal primary elections as far as applicable, but the officers to prepare the ballots and the poll managers and other officials of the primary election shall be appointed by the municipal executive committee of the party holding the primary, and the returns of such election shall be made to such municipal executive committee. Vacancies in the executive committee shall be filled by it.
(2) Provided, however, that in municipalities operating under a special or private charter which fixes a time for holding elections, other than the time fixed by Chapter 491, Laws of 1950, the first primary election shall be held on the first Tuesday, two (2) months before the time for holding the general election, as fixed by the charter, and the second primary election, where necessary, shall be held three (3) weeks after the first primary election, unless the charter of any such municipality provides otherwise, in which event the provisions of the special or private charter shall prevail as to the time of holding such primary elections.
(3) All primary elections in municipalities shall be held and conducted in the same manner as is provided by law for state and county primary elections.
General Elections
Candidates are elected to office in general elections. The general election ballot contains the names of the party nominees, plus any independent or third party candidates who have qualified. For most elective offices, the candidate who receives the highest number of votes is elected. Offices in which candidates do not run in party primaries (most judicial offices, county election commissioner, some others) require a run-off if no candidate receives a majority vote in the general election. By law, general elections are run by county or municipal Election Commissioners with limited oversight from the State Board of Election Commissioners. Circuit and Municipal Clerks also provide support.
§ 23-15-173. General elections; applicability of this section and Section 23-15-171 to certain special or private charter municipalities.
(1) A general municipal election shall be held in each city, town or village on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of June 1985, and every four (4) years thereafter, for the election of all municipal officers elected by the people.
(2) All municipal general elections shall be held and conducted in the same manner as is provided by law for state and county general elections.
(3) The provisions of Sections 23-15-171 and 23-15-173, which fix the times to hold primary and general elections, shall not apply to any municipality operating under a special or private charter where the governing board or authority thereof, on or before June 25, 1952, shall have adopted and spread upon its minutes a resolution or ordinance declining to accept the provisions, in which event the primary and general elections shall be held at the time fixed by the charter of the municipality.
Voter Registration
You may register to vote either online, mail or by visiting the Circuit Clerk’s office or the Municipal Clerk’s office. You may also register to vote when applying for or renewing your driver’s license, or when applying for services at numerous state and federal government agencies.
Secretary of State
The Elections Division has many roles in assuring that Mississippians’ voices are heard clearly through the election process. These roles include training election officials, collecting campaign finance and lobbying reports, managing the statewide voter registry, collecting election returns and assisting local election officials in carrying out their election related responsibilities.
All material kept by the Secretary of State relating to elections in Mississippi is available to the public. The agency has consistently advocated increased public disclosure and transparency on the part of officials, candidates, and lobbyists. Maintaining open and accessible information is an effort in full disclosure.
For more information, visit: www.sos.ms.gov.
