Alcorn County Absentee Voting Opens for Nov. 3 Election

Alcorn County absentee voting is now open for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, and voters who qualify can cast a ballot early at the Alcorn County Circuit Clerk’s office in Corinth. This year the process looks a little different: under a new state law, in-person absentee voters now feed their own ballot into a scanner, much like they would at their precinct on Election Day.

How Alcorn County absentee voting works this year

In years past, in-person absentee ballots were sealed in envelopes and held until election night. That has changed. Alcorn County Circuit Clerk Crystal Starling told the Daily Corinthian that the new law took effect and the voter now scans the ballot “just as if they were voting on election day.”

The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office says in-person absentee ballots are scanned right away on an optical mark scanning voting machine, and the results are counted on election night after the polls close. Absentee ballots that arrive by mail will still be scanned on election night.

Key dates for Alcorn County voters

According to the Secretary of State’s 2026 election calendar and local election officials, here are the dates to keep in mind:

• In-person absentee voting: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Saturday, Oct. 31.
• Saturday absentee hours: Circuit clerks’ offices statewide are open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 31, for in-person absentee voting.
• Saturday registration hours: The Alcorn County Circuit Clerk’s office will be open 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, according to the Daily Corinthian.
• Voter registration deadline: Monday, Oct. 5, is the last day to register to vote in the November election.
• Mail-in ballots: Must be postmarked on or before Election Day, Nov. 3, and received by the clerk within five business days, by Nov. 10, to count.
• Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Who can vote absentee in Mississippi?

Mississippi does not offer no-excuse early voting. To vote absentee, a voter must fit one of the categories set by state law. They include:

• Voters 65 or older
• People with a temporary or permanent disability that keeps them from voting in person
• People who must work during poll hours on Election Day
• Students, teachers and school staff whose schooling keeps them away from home, along with their spouses and dependents
• People temporarily living outside their home county
• Certain caregivers of hospitalized family members, congressional staff, and eligible incarcerated voters

Voters casting an in-person absentee ballot will need to show a photo ID. The clerk’s staff will confirm registration and address before issuing a ballot. Voters who need a mail-in ballot should contact the circuit clerk’s office to request an application, which must be properly witnessed.

What is on the ballot

The Nov. 3 ballot is a midterm ballot. Alcorn County voters will weigh in on the U.S. Senate race, where Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is seeking re-election, and the 1st Congressional District race, where U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly is on the ballot. Judicial races, including a Mississippi Court of Appeals seat, will also appear, along with a special election for the county’s District 3 election commissioner post.

Sample ballots are available at the Alcorn County Circuit Clerk’s office for voters who want to review the races before they vote.

Before you go

Voters can confirm their registration status and polling place through the Mississippi Secretary of State’s absentee voting page and the state’s Y’all Vote website. Anyone who has moved since the last election should update their address with the circuit clerk before the Oct. 5 deadline.

For more local news, see our latest Alcorn County news roundup and our report on Corinth’s property cleanup push.

Source: Daily Corinthian; Mississippi Secretary of State