Republican Party primaries in Mississippi, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 8 (in-person); Oct. 9 (postmark by mail)
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 3
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| Republican Party primaries, 2018 |
| Primary Date |
| June 5, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Republican primary for U.S. Senate |
| Republican primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Republican primaries for Mississippi legislature |
| State party |
| Republican Party of Mississippi |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[1][2]
Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[3] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[4][5][6] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[7]
This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Mississippi on June 5, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
- Roger Wicker (Incumbent) ✔
- Richard Boyanton
U.S. House
District 1
- Trent Kelly (Incumbent) ✔
District 2
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
District 3
District 4
- Steven Palazzo (Incumbent) ✔
- E. Brian Rose
State elections
Mississippi Party Control: 1992-2024
Four years of Democratic trifectas • Thirteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R[8] | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State party overview
- See also: Republican Party of Mississippi
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Republican Party of Mississippi's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Republican Party of Mississippi revenue, 2011 to 2016[9][10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $387,313.93 | --[11] | $387,313.93 |
| 2012 | $489,974.17 | $95,378.09 | $585,352.26 |
| 2013 | $477,270.78 | $119,891.58 | $597,162.36 |
| 2014 | $379,060.48 | $64,856.46 | $443,916.94 |
| 2015 | $368,448.65 | $744,983.00 | $1,113,431.65 |
| 2016 | $2,160,430.04 | $185,929.99 | $2,346,360.03 |
Mississippi compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Mississippi was one of eight states to hold a primary election on June 5, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Mississippi state law stipulates that an individual can only participate in a party's primary if he or she "intends to support the nominations made in the primary" in which he or she participates. However, this is generally considered an unenforceable requirement. Consequently, Mississippi's primary is effectively open.[12][13][14][15]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
All polling places in Mississippi are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[16]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register in Mississippi, prospective voters must be United States citizens, residents of their county in Mississippi for at least 30 days, and at least 18 years old by Election Day.[17][18]
Registration applications must be submitted by mail or in person to the local circuit clerk’s office at least 30 days before an election. Mailed applications must be postmarked by this date.[18]
Automatic registration
Mississippi does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Mississippi does not permit online voter registration.
Same-day registration
Mississippi does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Mississippi, you must be a resident of the state for at least 30 days.[18]
Verification of citizenship
Prospective voters registering for the first time must provide either their Mississippi driver’s license number or social security number. If neither is available, they must submit "a copy of a current and valid photo ID or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document" showing their current address in order to verify their residency.[18]
Verifying your registration
The site Y’all Vote, run by the Mississippi Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Mississippi requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[19]
As of July 1, 2024, identification used to vote in Mississippi must be an official government document that "has no expiration date or has an issuance date not more than ten (10) years prior to the date" of voting.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title Click here for the Mississippi Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information
Voters can obtain a Mississippi Voter Identification Card for free at any circuit clerk’s office in Mississippi. Voters can apply for a card during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Voters who need transportation to a circuit clerk’s office can call the secretary of state’s voter ID toll-free hotline at 1-844-678-6837, visit www.MSVoterID.ms.gov, or email MSVoterID@sos.ms.gov to schedule a ride. Transportation is free of charge.[20]
Early voting
Mississippi does not permit early voting. In-person absentee voting is permitted. See here for more information about absentee voting requirements.[21]
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Absentee voting
The following types of Mississippi voters are eligible to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot:[22][16]
- Voters who are required to be at work while the polling places are open on Election Day,
- Voters who will be out of town while the polling places are open on Election Day,
- Voters who are 65 or older,
- Voters who have a permanent or temporary physical disability, or
- Voters temporarily residing outside their county of residence
There is no specific deadline for applying for an absentee ballot. However, voters are encouraged to contact their local circuit or municipal clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot within 45 days of the election. Completed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received within five business days of the election in order to be counted.[16][22]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Two of 82 Mississippi counties—2.4 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Chickasaw County, Mississippi | 6.06% | 4.52% | 2.13% | ||||
| Panola County, Mississippi | 0.12% | 8.62% | 6.52% | ||||
See also
| Federal primaries in Mississippi | State primaries in Mississippi | Mississippi state party apparatus | Mississippi voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
- ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
- ↑ Republicans gained a majority in 2007 when two Democratic state senators switched their party affiliation. Democrats regained the majority as a result of the 2007 elections.
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance Filings," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Mississippi Republican Party and MS Democratic Party)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Mississippi Republican Party and Mississippi Democratic Party PAC)
- ↑ Complete financial report is unavailable for this period.
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ FairVote,"Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Delbert Hoseman Secretary of State,"Mississippi Voter Information Guide," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Mississippi Secretary of State, "Voter Information Guide," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Information," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Mississippi Secretary of State, "Voter Registration Application," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Mississippi Voter ID," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "HOW CAN I GET A MISSISSIPPI VOTER ID CARD?" accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting Information ," accessed April 30, 2023
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 [https://www.sos.ms.gov/absentee-voting-information#ar03 Mississippi Secretary of State, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed April 30, 2023
