2025 Election Cycle
The election cycle for the 2025 Mississippi municipal elections begins January 1, 2025, which marks the beginning of the qualifying period for candidates for Mayor and City Council. The qualifying deadline is January 31st. The primary election will be held April 1st, and the general election will be held June 3rd.
All candidates for the offices of Mayor and City Council must meet the following requirements to qualify for office:
• Qualified elector (registered voter) of the State of Mississippi and in the municipality/ward of the office for which the candidate seeks election. Miss. Const. of 1890, Article XII, § 250.
• Any candidate for any municipal, county, or county district office shall be a resident of the municipality, county, county district or other territory that he or she seeks to represent in such office for two (2) years immediately preceding the day of the election. This does not apply to municipalities with less than one thousand (1,000) residents according to the latest federal decennial census. Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-300.
• Never have been convicted of bribery, perjury or other infamous crime, being defined as a crime punishable by a minimum of one (1) year confinement in the state penitentiary, unless pardoned for the offense. Miss. Constitution of 1890, Article IV, § 44.
• Never have been convicted of a felony in a court of this state or, of a felony in a federal court, or of a crime in the court of another state which is a felony under the laws of this state, on or after December 8, 1992; excluding, however, a conviction of manslaughter or a violation of the United States Internal Revenue Code or any violation of the tax laws of this state, unless the offense also involved the misuse or abuse of an office or money coming into a candidate’s hands by virtue of an office. Miss. Const. of 1890, Article IV, § 44.
What, When and Where to File:
Qualifying as a Candidate for Party Nomination:
1) Qualifying Statement of Intent for a Candidate for Party Nomination and qualifying fee in the amount of ten dollars ($10.00) made payable to the appropriate Municipal Party Executive Committee must be filed with the Municipal Clerk’s Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025. NOTE: The qualifying date is an actual receipt deadline and cannot be extended under any circumstance.
2) Statement of Economic Interest within fifteen (15) days of qualifying with the Mississippi Ethics Commission, (601) 359-1285.
3) Required Campaign Finance Disclosure Reports filed with the Municipal Clerk’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on the applicable deadline(s). -Campaign Finance Disclosure Reporting Forms are provided by the Municipal Clerk to candidates upon qualifying.
