Qualifying for some offices opened Jan. 2

Get ready, Lafayette County: It’s almost election time.

With many voters still recovering from the 2023 election cycle for statewide and county offices, a fresh election cycle is here and will likely do little to ease the much referenced (and aptly named) voter fatigue – the moniker of the overwhelming bombardment of political advertisements and discussions associated with hotly contested campaigns.

And while the 2024 election year is mainly for Presidential and Congressional candidates, local voters will also have the duty to choose new school district trustees and an election commissioner post.

Statewide, candidates were able to begin qualifying Tuesday, Jan. 2,  for the 2024 election for the offices of President, U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, Supreme Court Justice, County Election Commission, Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Commission, and Mississippi Levee Commission.

Candidates may access the Secretary of State’s official 2024 Candidate Qualifying Guide which provides essential information for those seeking elected office. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the legal qualifications required to seek and hold office, as well as the qualifying procedures. 

The qualifying deadline for all candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative and the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Commission is Jan. 12 at 5 p.m.

The qualifying deadline for the Presidential Preference Primary is Jan. 15 at 5 p.m.

Non-partisan judicial offices and Election Commissioners are required to qualify by Feb. 1 at 5 p.m.

 A candidate for judicial, county district or school district office must be a qualified elector (registered voter) of the state of Mississippi and of the district, county or county district of the office for which the candidate seeks election.

A candidate for U.S. Senate or U. S. House of Representatives must be a resident of the State of Mississippi as of the date of his or her election to office.

All candidates for office must never have been convicted of the following:

• Bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, being defined as a crime punishable by a minimum of one (1) year confinement in the state penitentiary, unless pardoned for the offense
• A felony in a court of this state; or, of a felony in a federal court or of a crime in a court of another state which is a felony under the laws of this state on or after Dec. 8, 1992; excluding, however, a conviction of manslaughter or a violation of the United States Internal Revenue Code or any violation of the tax laws of this state, unless the offense also involved the misuse or abuse of an office or money coming into a candidate’s hands by virtue of an office 

2024 election dates are as follows:

• March 12 – Presidential Preference Primary; Primary Election Day
• April 2  – Primary Runoff Election Day
• June 4  – General Election Mississippi Levee District Commissioner
• Nov. 5,  – General/Special Election Day
• Nov. 26  – General/Special Runoff Election Day