Mississippi voters will adopt or reject a new state flag in November, now officially named the “In God We Trust Flag.”

At the election on Nov. 3, Mississippi voters will be shown a colored picture of the new proposed state flag shown at right.

Residents may vote either yes to adopt the new flag or no to oppose adopting the new state flag.

If the new proposed flag is rejected by voters, the Commission to Redesign the Mississippi State Flag will reconvene, design another flag, and allow voters to approve or reject it at a special election in November 2021.

The commission unanimously selected the final flag design on Sept. 2.

The magnolia flag was a combination of designs developed by multiple people: graphic designer Rocky Vaughan of Ackerman, Sue Anna Joe, a Greenwood native now living in California, graphic designer and mayoral assistant Kara Giles of Oxford, and Mississippi Department of Archives and History designer Dominique Pugh.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a bill on July 1 to remove the state flag and present it to the Department of Archives and History.

The state’s Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn presented the retired flag to the MDHA that same day.

Absentee voting will begin Sept. 21.

There are two ways to vote by absentee ballot in Mississippi. 1. By appearing in person at the circuit clerk’s office and completing the application and ballot in the office. 2. Requesting an appliation and ballot by mail and mailing the same back to the circuit clerk’s office.

How ever you request the ballot controls how you return it.

For example, if you request it in person at the circuit clerk’s office, you  must vote in the circuit clerk’s office and leave it in the office before you walk out the door.

If you request a ballot by mail, you  must return it by mail.

In addition, the Mississippi Legislature changed the law this year to make votes cast by absentee final.

A person can no longer vote absentee, then go vote on the voting machine on election day voiding the absentee ballot.

A voter can no longer drop off a voted absentee ballot in the circuit clerk’s office.

While some states permit this practice, Mississippi is not one of them.

The last day to register to vote will be Oct. 5.

The Jefferson Davis County Circuit Clerk’s Office will be open Oct. 3, from 8 a.m. until noon, in addition to their normal weekly hours,  for those wanting to register.

For more information, call the Jefferson Davis County Circuit Clerk’s Office at 601-792-4231.