Absentee Voting Brisk in Several Miss. Counties

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi election officials report heavy absentee voting leading into Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate.

Millions of dollars have been spent in the race between six-term Sen. Thad Cochran and tea party-backed challenger, state Sen. Chris McDaniel.

Both candidates are campaigning in the northern part of the state Saturday and are headed south Sunday.

Noon Saturday was the deadline for in-person absentee voting. Mail-in absentee ballots must be returned by Monday.

Several Republican counties report an increase in absentee voting for the runoff compared to the June 3 primary. They include DeSoto and Lee in the north, Madison and Rankin in central Mississippi and Jackson County on the coast.

Absentee voting is also heavy near the candidates’ homes. Cochran lives in Lafayette County and McDaniel in Jones County.