Video: Write-In Candidates Allowed In Upcoming Election

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Columbus, Miss (WCBI) — The upcoming election for District 41 will be the first time for Lowndes County Circuit Clerk Haley Salazar to conduct an election involving write-in candidates.

Incumbent Esther Harrison passed away earlier this week and the state Democratic party has requested Harrison’s name be removed from the ballot.

That leaves Kabir Kareem as the only candidate for the office.

With state and local primaries just around the corner in August, the Lowdnes County Circuit Clerk’s office is relying on guidance from the Mississippi Secretary of State.

Salazar says that the election with write-in candidates is, by law, legal.

Lowndes County voters use electronic ballot boxes. A write-in vote requires a paper ballot.

Salazar says the election process will work the same but tallying the results will be different.

“We’re not sure at this point how our equipment is going to handle counting those votes…”, says Salazar, “…but we’ll get a little more into that as we go.”

The requirements to run as a candidate for the vacant seat are:

-Must have lived in the state of Mississippi for 4 years
-Live in the district, in this case District 41, for 2 years.
-Must be 21 years old

The late Esther Harrison was elected as a state representative 15 years ago. Harrison chaired the House State Library Committee and served on the Tax-writing Ways and Means committee.

Governor Phil Bryant’s office says that the state will not hold a special election to fill Harrison’s seat.