Mississippi Primary election 2022: Secretary of State wants 'as many people to vote as possible'

UPDATE: With polls now closed, click here to view race results as they come in.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. across Mississippi for the June 7 primary election, which will narrow the fields of candidates for Democratic and Republican candidates for U.S. House of Representatives.

Mississippi has four congressional districts: northeastern Mississippi, two in central Mississippi and one in south Mississippi. District lines changed slightly this year, following population changes indicated by the 2020 Census.

Republican incumbents in Districts 1, 3 and 4 had at least two Republican rivals, and in the case of District 4's Steven Palazzo, six challengers hoped to unseat the incumbent to move on to the November general election.

Mississippi's lone Democratic Congressman District 2's Bennie Thompson faced one Democratic rival. Thompson, who chairs the congressional committee that is investigating the Jan. 6, 2020, events that unfolded in Washington, D.C., is the state's longest-serving incumbent. He first took office in 1993.

The Clarion Ledger will be reporting from the polls throughout the day so check this story regularly for updates or follow the hashtag #MSElex on Twitter. Check back for results after polls close at 7 p.m.

Note: If you witness or experience issues at the polls or have questions about voting that aren't answered at your precinct, call the Mississippi Secretary of State's election hotline at 800-829-6786.

Read this: Mississippi voters go to polls today for U.S. Congressional primaries. What to know

Related: Sample ballots for Tuesday's Democratic and Republican primary races in Mississippi

6:30 p.m.: We had 'more voters than expected,' poll worker says

Only 75 of the 1,499 registered voters at Ridgeland's Colonial Height Baptist Church precinct turned up as of late Tuesday afternoon, which is not a lot, but more than expected, a poll worker told reporter Joshua Williams.

"As of now we have more voters than expected, but we should see more come in later in the afternoon,” said Voting Administrator Polly Hammett, 71, of Ridgeland.

5:30 p.m.: Secretary of State Watson explains low turnout

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson spoke to the media Tuesday evening about the primary elections.

He told reporter Wicker Perlis he visited all four congressional districts in addition to having 20 staff members stationed throughout the state to address any issues at the polls.

Calls to his office have been "very low" and they've seen "nothing big" so far, Watson said.

The secretary of state said turnout was low Tuesday for a variety of reasons.

"Number one, we're in the middle of the year, June," Watson said. "Folks are out of town."

His office encouraged people who wouldn't be in town to "make a plan" to vote absentee, but absentee voting has also seen low numbers.

Another reason for low turnout, according to Watson: voter apathy and concerns over integrity.

"There's a lot of things going on in the country," he told reporters. "People don't have a lot of trust in government. Coming on the heels of 2020, some people have a doubt whether their vote counts."

Watson said his office has tried to encourage voting by reassuring people of election integrity in the state.

"I don't know what happened in other states in 2020, but I know what happened in Mississippi," he said.

Watson emphasized the importance of voting as a patriotic act.

"Coming on the heels of Memorial Day and the D-Day anniversary, we hope people understand the sacrifices that were made to protect this country and the right to vote," he said.

With some precincts' poll workers saying they hope to reach just 10% turnout, Watson wouldn't give a target number.

"I don't have a specific number," he said. "We want as many people to vote as possible."

Polls are open until 7 p.m.

4 p.m.: Local issues concern one voter

Reporter Wicker Perlis went to Fire Station 5, a polling place in District 3, on Tuesday afternoon. There were no voters at the precinct. Poll workers told him it's been slow, but a few voters came on their lunch break. They're expecting more as people get off work.

Charles Chalfant of Jackson who came into the fire station to find out where he needed to go to vote, said poll workers told him he was the 28th voter of the day.

He said one reason he came was to figure out what district he lived in.

Local issues were on the top of his mind. "The schools, the police, the potholes," he said.

3 p.m.: Voters come in a 'slow, steady trickle'

Voter turnout was low Tuesday morning at Victory Baptist Church on Hoy Road in Madison with only 51 ballots cast as of 11 a.m.

By 1:30 p.m. voting had picked up slightly with 97 of the precinct’s 1,329 registered voters having cast ballots, poll workers told communities editor Scott Hawkins.

“I want to vote for someone who is a true conservative and will vote their convictions,” said Dena McDonald of Madison who was at the precinct to cast her ballot.

A poll worker said they hoped to get 10% of the precincts’ registered voters by the time the polls close at 7 p.m.

Across town at Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church in Madison 143 of the precincts’ registered voters had cast ballots by 1:45 p.m.

“It has been a trickle, a slow steady trickle,” a poll worker said.

Voters in Madison’s Congressional District 3 could only vote in the Republican Party primary because only one candidate, Shuwaski Young, is on the Democratic Party ticket.

Young will face the winner of Tuesday’s Republican primary in the general election on Nov. 8.

2:30 p.m.: Crystal Springs voter says she's ready for change

At the J.T. Biggs Memorial Library in Crystal Springs, 85 people, or just under 4% of the registered voters in that precinct, had voted by noon.

Poll workers there said voting is about average for a congressional primary election.

Of the votes cast, 80 were Democratic and four were Republican.

Walking in wearing a vibrant red sweater and matching earrings, it was clear Paula Hill of Crystal Springs would be the fifth Republican voter of the day.

Hill said she is unhappy with the performance of District 2 Congressman Bennie Thompson, who has been in office since 1993. Hill said she’s ready for change.

“It’s all the poverty,” Hill said. “Bennie Thompson needs to come out.

“We need to go all red, I’m telling you. I’m from the Delta. It’s sad. Those small towns up there are just gone – no industry, no nothing.”

— reporter Brian Broom

1:45 p.m.: Fondren Fire Station reports only Democratic voters turn out

Turnout continues to be slow across the Jackson area. At the Fondren Fire Station, lunchtime had the best traffic of the day, according to poll workers.

But only 83 of the precinct’s 1,009 registered voters cast their ballots through 1 p.m. Of those, all 83 voted in the Democratic primary. No voters came to vote in the Republican primary.

Minnie Dixon of Jackson voted just before 1 p.m. and said there was not one particular political issue that draws her to the polls, said reporter Ross Reily.

“I am voting to put the right person in office, whether it’s this election or the runoff,” Dixon said. “It’s all about who you are and that they are a good person. I always keep a list in my head of people I am going to vote for. I know who they are.”

1 p.m.: Hattiesburg precincts report 7-10% turnout

Voters in Hattiesburg were trickling in to their polling places  Traffic was a little slower than usual, poll workers said.

Roughly 100 or 7% of the 1,507 registered voters at the Hardy Street Baptist precinct cast their ballots as of noon Tuesday. At the Thames Elementary precinct, about 220 or 10% of the 2,239 registered voters had cast their ballots as of 12:30 p.m.

“We have new voting machines, new computers,” one poll worker said  “We’re still trying to figure things out.”

Voters made their choices on paper ballots and placed them in a machine that records their entry.

In recent years, voters cast ballots on digitized machines.

Noon: Only 1 voter turns out at Jackson State

Only one of the approximately 2,500 voters registered at the Jackson State University precinct cast a ballot Tuesday morning, reporter Joshua Williams said.

"The voting at Jackson State University Precinct 49 is low due to students leaving for summer break," said Voting Administrator Jean Lavine, 75, a Jackson resident.

11:15 a.m.: Long Beach voter says early voting was minimal

A voter in Long Beach reported on Twitter there were virtually no voters at her precinct when she went to cast her ballot Tuesday morning.

"Long Beach was pretty dead at 8 this morning," she said. "(There were) two others besides me."

11 a.m.: Madison precincts report low voter turnout

Voter turnout in Madison was low Tuesday morning. Reporter Ross Reily toured three precincts and found no voters.

As of 10 a.m., Sunnybrook Retirement Village had only 18 of the 708 registered voters cast ballots. Only 43 of 3,017 votes at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church voted and at Victory Baptist Church on Hoy Road, 51 of 1,329 voters turned out.

“It’s been crazy slow,” one poll worker said. “We hope it picks up, but at this rate, we won’t have 10% turnout.”

10:30 a.m.: Brandon precinct reports low voter turnout

Voters trickled in to the Brandon Baptist Church precinct to cast ballots for their candidate of choice in the Mississippi Democratic or Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, photographer Hannah Mattix reported.

The state has four congressmen representing it in Washington, D.C. Congressional elections are held every two years. Each of the four incumbents are seeking reelection.

Previously: Voting in Mississippi's congressional races June 7: Who's running? What do they stand for?

Government expert: Jackson mayor's veto on garbage contract is 'new territory'

9 a.m.: Turnout low in some Jackson precincts

Voter turnout so far has been low at Jackson's Fire Station 26 and Fire Station 7 precincts, photographer Hannah Mattix reported.

No issues at the polls have been reported as voting continues.

8:30 a.m.: Crystal Springs man says fuel prices, inflation concerning

Sitting outside the J. T. Biggs Memorial Library in Crystal Springs, Cleo Jackson of Crystal Springs was the only person waiting to vote there when the doors opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Jackson said exercising his right to vote is something instilled in him.

“My mom and dad and grandparents raised me,” Jackson said. “They taught us to vote.

“Some people say their vote doesn’t count. Sometimes stuff be won by one vote. If you don’t vote you can’t complain about nothing. As long as I’m able to vote, I’m going to.”

While he votes in every election, he said the economy is a big issue during this election cycle. Jackson said he’s concerned about inflation and gas prices in particular. He said it bothers him that more oil is not being produced in the U.S. and feels the nation is too reliant on foreign oil imports.

Jackson said people in the small town who commute to work are being seriously impacted by record-high fuel prices.

“I got gas one morning and it was $4.18,” Jackson said. “Gas truck came that evening and it went up to $4.43.

“That’s a big hike. People that got to drive from Crystal Springs to Nissan or Clinton, they feeling it.”

Jackson said he’s been a truck driver for more than 40 years and said fuel prices have forced life-changing decisions on some drivers.

“A lot of guys that owned their own truck, they parted with it,” Jackson said. “They went to work for some big company.”

— Brian Broom

8 a.m.: Group offers rides to polling places

Mississippi MOVE is offering rides to people who need help getting to their precincts to vote in Tuesday's primaries.

Registered voters in Holmes, Hinds, Rankin and Forrest counties can schedule a ride by calling or texting 662-205-6683.

Masks are required and must cover the face from nose to chin. Masks will be provided for those who do not have one.

6 a.m.: Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday

Mississippi has four congressional districts: northeastern Mississippi, two in central Mississippi and one in south Mississippi. District lines changed slightly this year, following population changes indicated by the 2020 Census.

Mississippi: Contested races expected for party primary elections in 2022

Not sure where to vote? Click here to find your polling place.

Each of the state's four incumbents face opposition within their parties in the primaries this year. The winners of the primaries will go on the November ballot where they will face a new challenger.

District 1 incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly has one Republican challenger in Mark Strauss. The winner of the District 1 Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, either Hunter Avery or Dianne Black in November.

District 2 incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson will face Jerry Kerner in the Democratic primary. Four Republican hopefuls, Michael Carson, Ronald Eller, Brian Flowers and Stanford Johnson, are vying to unseat the longtime congressman. Only one Republican will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the November election.

District 3 incumbent Michael Guest will face two Republican challengers in Michael Cassidy and Thomas Griffin. Only one Democrat qualified for the office. Shuwaski Young will appear on the November ballot along with the winner of the Republican primary.

District 4 incumbent Steven Palazzo faces the heaviest opposition with six Republican challengers in the primary: Carl Boyanton, Raymond Brooks, Mike Ezell, Kidron Peterson, Clay Wagner and Brice Wiggins. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary — either Johnny DuPree or David Sellers — and Libertarian candidate Alden Johnson in November.

Clarion Ledger reporters Lici Beveridge, Brian Broom, Joshua Williams, Ross Reily Wicker Perlis and Kierra Fleming, photographer Hannah Mattix and editor Scott Hawkins are contributing to this story.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi primary election 2022: Live updates from polling places