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Hinds County Election Officials Take Steps to Avoid Repeat of 2023 Ballot Shortages

The Hinds County Election Commission is working to avoid a repeat of last year’s ballot shortages with extensive poll worker training and an abundant supply of ballots for the Nov. 5 election.

In an interview with the Mississippi Free Press, Hinds County District 5 Election Commissioner Shirley Varnado said officials decided additional preparation was necessary after the debacle during the 2023 state elections left some unable to vote for hours. Voting-rights advocates from across the country responded with demands for answers and action to circumvent similar problems in the future.

“As a result of the issues that happened last year, we’re ordering 100% of the ballots,” Varnado said on Oct. 11. “The secretary of state’s office requires that you order at least 60%. We’re ordering 100%. That’s a ballot for every voter.”

Since Sept. 1, the commission has trained poll workers on accommodating voters with disabilities, curbside voting, questions poll watchers may ask and paying attention to different ballot-style options for the county’s split precincts.

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This year there are 11 Hinds County polling locations where—because of how the districts are drawn—voters will receive a different ballot depending on where they live, Varnado explained during an Oct. 19 poll-worker training. Those are known as split precincts, where voters from more than one precinct vote at the same polling location.

In addition to those measures, the commission will also have extra printing supplies on hand to print supplemental ballots, if needed. “We should never have that issue again,” the commissioner told the Mississippi Free Press.

Ballot Shortages Led to Confusion at Precincts

At least nine voting precincts across Hinds County ran out of ballots on Election Day on Nov. 7, 2023, leading to confusion and long lines. Hinds County, which includes the capital city of Jackson, is the largest county in Mississippi and has an over 83% Black population.

Voting-rights advocates grilled the Hinds County Election Commission for weeks, demanding answers for why there were not enough ballots on Election Day.

“In order for us

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