Columbus, Mississippi Public Records

Mississippi law provides for bond and bail procedures that may allow release pending trial, and information about recent bookings can be obtained through the sheriff's office or the detention center's online system.

citizenship, Mississippi residency, being at least 18 by election day, and having no disqualifying felony conviction unless voting rights have been restored. Mississippi law mandates voter ID at the polls. Acceptable forms include a driver's license, government-issued photo ID, U.S. passport, government employee ID, firearms license, student ID from an accredited Mississippi college or university, tribal photo ID, or a Mississippi Voter Identification Card available at no charge from any Circuit Clerk's office. Municipal elections in Columbus select the mayor and six city council members, one representing each ward. The mayor is elected citywide while council members run from their respective wards. Columbus holds general municipal elections every four years. The most recent took place in 2021, with the next scheduled for 2025. Information about candidate qualifying and local ballot issues is available through the Columbus City Clerk at City Hall (662-244-3500) and the Circuit Clerk's office. Residents can locate their assigned polling place using the Mississippi Secretary of State's lookup tool at yallvote.sos.ms.gov or by calling the Circuit Clerk at 662-329-5800. Precinct assignments are based on residential address. Voter registration lists are public records under Mississippi law, though sensitive information like social security numbers and birth dates is redacted. Campaign finance reports for state and local candidates are filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State and searchable at sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting/Pages/Campaign-Finance.aspx. Candidate qualifying records for county and municipal races are kept by the Circuit Clerk. Precinct-level election results become public records after certification and are typically posted on the Lowndes County website. In the November 2024 presidential election, Lowndes County recorded roughly 16,000 votes cast, representing turnout of approximately 55-60% of registered voters. The county has trended Republican in recent presidential contests, though local races often see closer competition. The November 3, 2026 general election will feature several significant races for local voters. While Mississippi's governor was elected in 2023 for a four-year term and neither U.S. Senate seat is up that cycle, Columbus and Lowndes County voters will decide the U.S. House of Representatives race for Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, which includes the area. All 122 Mississippi House seats and approximately half of the 52 state Senate seats will also be on the ballot. Depending on term schedules, county offices such as the Board of Supervisors and various other positions may appear as well. Columbus municipal elections for mayor and city council occur separately in 2025. Mississippi allows absentee voting for qualified voters: those away from their county on election day, those with temporary or permanent physical disabilities, voters 65 or older, election officials or poll watchers, those required to work during all polling hours, active duty military with their spouses and dependents, and those whose employment requires them to be at sea or on a waterway. Absentee ballot applications are available at yallvote.sos.ms.gov or from the Circuit Clerk. Applications must arrive by mail at least five business days before the election or be submitted in person by noon the Saturday before election day. Mississippi does not offer universal mail-in voting or no-excuse absentee voting.