Jackson, Miss. – Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson told reporters that the state’s U.S. Senate race still has an estimated 12,000 to 20,000 affidavit ballots awaiting final count. Watson said the figure reflects a larger‑than‑usual gap, which he attributes to recent voter‑roll maintenance efforts.
How the affidavit ballot process works
Under state law, county election commissioners must process and certify affidavit ballots within ten days of receipt. The Secretary of State’s office does not receive an initial total of these ballots; instead, it relies on historic filing patterns and direct communication with each county.
“Look, it could be, and this is a large gap, I think it could be somewhere between maybe 12,000 to 20,000,” Watson said. “Our current acceptance rate, which is another important piece there, is 76%.” He added that the acceptance rate is likely higher than in previous elections because of the ongoing voter‑roll cleanup.
County commissioners handle voter‑roll changes
Watson emphasized that his office does not change a voter’s status on the rolls. “Your elections commissioners are in charge of cleaning the voter rolls,” he explained. The state shares the most recent voter data with counties, sourced from Experian, but any changes must be verified by law before they are applied.
“Sometimes you may see a commissioner who says, you know what, I see this. I’m going to go ahead and make the change prior to verifying it. I’m not throwing them under the bus, but I’m telling you some things that could happen,” Watson noted, acknowledging that occasional procedural missteps can occur.
Safety net for affidavit voters
Watson described the affidavit system as a built‑in safety net. “When you vote affidavit, it will catch that error. That is the safety net. And the most important part here is we’re making sure we’re cleaning up our voter rolls to make sure there isn’t voter fraud,” he said.
Voters who submitted an affidavit ballot because they lacked a photo ID have five days to present the required identification at their local courthouse. All other affidavit voters are not required to return to the courthouse.
Public transparency and tracking
County election commissioners must review each affidavit ballot in open public meetings, allowing any resident to attend and observe the process. Watson encouraged citizens with questions to participate in these meetings.
Mississippi voters can track the status of their absentee or affidavit ballot online, though the system will only display updates once county officials have entered the information.
What this means for voters
The backlog does not indicate a failure of the election system; rather, it reflects the thorough verification steps designed to protect election integrity. Watson assured that the process is working as intended and that officials remain committed to delivering accurate results while safeguarding against fraud.
For more information on how to submit or track an affidavit ballot, residents can visit the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website or contact their county election office.
Original reporting: FOX10 WALA Mobile (news) — read the source article.
