Qualifications and Fees for Mississippi Candidates

STATEWIDE

GOVERNOR

Qualifications: A qualified elector, at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States 20 years, and a resident of the state five years next preceding the day of election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V, §117 and art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $300 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 1,000. No fee required.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Qualifications: Same as required of the Governor. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V, §128 and art. XII, § 250.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 1,000. No fee required.

SECRETARY OF STATE, AUDITOR, TREASURER, INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

Qualifications: A qualified elector, at least 25 years old, and a citizen of the state five years next preceding the day of election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V, §§133 and 134 and art. XII, §250; MISS. CODE ANN. §83-1-3.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 1,000. No fee required.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Qualifications: A qualified elector, a practicing attorney for five years, at least 26 years old, and a citizen of the state five years. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §173 and art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 1,000. No fee required.

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE & COMMERCE

Qualifications: A qualified elector with a general knowledge of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, statistics, and general industries and an experienced and practical agriculturist. MISS. CODE ANN. §69-1-1; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 1,000. No fee required.

STATE DISTRICT

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

Qualifications: A practicing attorney, at least 30 years of age, and a citizen of the state for five years preceding the day of election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §150.

Fee: $200 made payable to the State Board of Election Commissioners, delivered to the Secretary of State's Office.

COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE

Qualifications: A practicing attorney, at least 30 years of age, and a citizen of the state for five years preceding the day of election. MISS. CODE ANN. §9-4-5.

Fee: $200 made payable to the State Board of Election Commissioners, delivered to the Secretary of State's Office.

CIRCUIT AND CHANCERY COURT JUDGE

Qualifications: A practicing attorney for five years, at least 26 years of age, and five years a citizen of the state. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §154.

Fee: $100 made payable to the State Board of Election Commissioners, delivered to the Secretary of State's Office.

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER

Qualifications: A qualified elector, at least 25 years old, a resident of the Supreme Court district in which he/she seeks election, and a citizen of the state five years preceding the day of election. MISS. CODE ANN. §77-1-1; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VII, §186 and art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 300. No fee required.

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER

Qualifications: A qualified elector and a resident of the Supreme Court district in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CODE ANN. §65-1-3.

Fee for party candidates: $200 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 300. No fee required.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Qualifications: A qualified elector of the district and a practicing attorney admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Mississippi for two years. MISS. CODE ANN. §25-31-1.

Fee for party candidates: $100 made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 100. No fee required.

STATE LEGISLATORS

SENATOR

Qualifications: A qualified elector of the state four years, at least 25 years old, and an actual resident of the district or territory represented for two years before the election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. IV, §42.

Fee for party candidates: $15. For single county and multi-county districts, made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required. For multi-county districts, submit certified petition to Secretary of State. For single county districts, submit to appropriate Circuit Clerk.

REPRESENTATIVE

Qualifications: A qualified elector and resident citizen of the state four years, at least 21 years old, and a resident of the county or district represented for two years before the election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. IV, §41.

Fee for party candidates: $15. For single county and multi-county districts, made payable to the appropriate state party executive committee.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required. For multi-county districts, submit certified petition to Secretary of State. For single county districts, submit to appropriate Circuit Clerk.

COUNTYWIDE

SHERIFF

Qualifications: Not a defaulter to the state or any county or municipality or to the United States and a qualified elector. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-25-3. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V, §§135, and 138.

Fee for party candidates: $15 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

CHANCERY CLERK, CIRCUIT CLERK, TAX ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR

Qualifications: A qualified elector of the county in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V §§135, and 138; art. VI, §168; art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: Same as for sheriff.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION

Qualifications: A qualified elector, the holder of a valid Administrator's license issued by the State Department of Education, and not less than four years of classroom and or administrative experience. MISS. CODE ANN. §37-9-13; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VIII, §§202, 203, and 204; art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: Same as for sheriff.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

COUNTY COURT AND FAMILY COURT JUDGE

Qualifications: A qualified elector, at least 26 years old, a practicing attorney for five years, and a citizen of the state for five years preceding the election. MISS. CODE ANN. §9-9-1 et seq.

Fee: $15 made payable to county Circuit Clerk.

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Qualifications: A qualified elector and a regular licensed and practicing attorney. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-23-1 et seq.

Fee for party candidates: same as for Sheriff.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

SURVEYOR

Qualifications: A registered land surveyor and a qualified elector of the county in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-27-1; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V §§135 and 138; art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $10 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

CORONER

Qualifications: A qualified elector, at least 21 years of age, possessing a high school diploma or its equivalent, of the county in which he/she seeks election. The minimum education requirement shall not apply to any Coroner holding office on July 1, 1986, who is re-elected in the 1987 general election and thereafter as long as he/she maintains continuous active service. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-21-103; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. V, §§135, and 138; art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $10 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 50. No fee required.

COUNTY DISTRICT

SUPERVISOR

Qualifications: A qualified elector of the county and a resident in the district in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-3-3; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. XII, §250; Williams v. Adams County Board of Election Commissioners, 608 F Supp. 599 (1985).

Fee for party candidates: $15 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 15. No fee required.

JUSTICE COURT JUDGE

Qualifications: A qualified elector, a resident of the county two years preceding the day of election, a high school graduate or its equivalent, and completion of a course of training required by law within six months of the beginning of the term of office. MISS. CODE ANN. §9-11-3; MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §171 (1975) and art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $10 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 15. No fee required.

CONSTABLE

Qualifications: A qualified elector in the county and district in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CODE ANN. §19-19-1 et seq. MISS. CONST. of 1890, art. VI, §171 (1975) and art. XII, §250.

Fee for party candidates: $10 made payable to the appropriate county executive committee via Circuit Clerk.

Number of signatures required for Independent candidates: 15. No fee required.

ELECTION COMMISSIONER

Qualifications: A qualified elector in the county and district in which he/she seeks election. MISS. CODE ANN. §23-15-213.

Number of signatures required: 50. No fee required.

NOTE on fees and petitions: In most cases, fees are assessed only of candidates who run in party primaries. Independent candidates are not assessed fees. For the current schedule of most fees, see MISS. CODE ANN. §23-15-297 and §23-15-977. Party candidates must file the required fee and a qualifying statement of intent (available from your Circuit Clerk or the Secretary of State's Office). The completed and certified petitions of Independent candidates for multi-county offices must be submitted to the Secretary of State's Office by the appropriate qualifying deadline. Accordingly, the petition must first be submitted a reasonable time in advance to the appropriate Circuit Clerk's office so signatures may be certified as those of registered voters. For more information, call the Secretary of State's Office (601-359-6359; 800-829-6786) or your county Circuit Clerk.