What to know: Mississippi to decide 3 Republican congressional races in Tuesday's runoff

Three races. Six candidates. Thousands of Mississippi voters will get out Tuesday to vote in the Republican primary election runoffs.

Here's what you need to know:

Mississippi runoff polling hours, locations

Polls open in congressional Districts 2, 3 and 4 at 7 a.m. Voters must be in line by 7 p.m. to cast their ballots.

Only Republican candidates will be on the ballots as the Democratic races are decided.

District 1 will not have a runoff election.

The Mississippi Secretary of State's website has a polling place locator for those unsure of where to vote. Go to sos.ms.gov/elections-voting/polling-place-locator and put your home address into the required fields to find your polling location.

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Is my district holding a runoff?

District 1 encompasses the northeast corner of Mississippi, including the cities of Southaven, Oxford and Tupelo. If you live in this area, the answer is no.

If you live in the following districts, the answer is yes:

• District 2 covers much of western and central Mississippi, including the Jackson metro area. 
• District 3 covers much of central Mississippi, including Starkville, Madison, Meridian, Brookhaven and McComb.
• District 4 covers south Mississippi, including Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, parts of Jones, Lamar, Pearl River, Perry, Stone and Wayne counties.

What if I have a voting question or need to report a problem?

Secretary of State Michael Watson will have workers around the state to help if an issue arises.

If you have a question, talk to the location manager or contact the election call center at 601-576-2550 or email ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov.

To report an issue at a polling location, call the election hotline at 800-829-6786.

Who can vote in the Republican primary election runoffs?

Any registered voter in Mississippi who voted in the Republican primary is eligible to vote in Tuesday's primary.

Democrats and non-party voters may vote in the runoff if they either did not vote or voted Republican in the primary.

Voters who were not registered before the deadline for the June 7 primary and voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary are not eligible to vote in the runoff.

The candidates for Republican primary election runoffs

Two incumbent Republican congressmen in Districts 3 and 4 are hoping to gain more supporters in Tuesday's runoff elections to be eligible to move on to the November ballot. And in District 2, one of two Republicans are hoping for a win, which could position them to unseat longtime incumbent Democrat Bennie Thompson, chair of the Jan. 6 Select Committee.

In District 3, incumbent Michael Guest will face challenger Michael Cassidy. Guest came under fire in 2021 after he supported an investigation of the Jan. 6  attack at the Capitol. Cassidy is new to politics but is a Navy veteran who continues to serve in the Navy Reserves as an instructor pilot at Naval Air Station-Meridian.

District 4 incumbent Steven Palazzo also has been criticized for alleged misuse of campaign and congressional funds. Despite the allegations, which according to Mississippi Today are unlikely to go anywhere, Palazzo stayed on top of the seven-man field in the June 7 primary. His challenger, Jackson County sheriff Mike Ezell, came in at a not-so-distant second. Like Cassidy, Ezell has no political experience. 

A runoff in District 4 was virtually inevitable since it would be difficult for any one of the seven candidates to receive the required minimum of 50% plus one vote. A third candidate in the District 3 race gathered enough votes to push the 50% mark just out of reach for either Guest or Cassidy.

The District 2 runoff will be decided between Brian Flowers and Ronald Eller. 

All other Democratic and Republican races were decided in the primary.

Click here to read more about the candidates in Tuesday's runoff elections.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.