Your ballot, explained.

Heard this? Here are the facts

Each claim gets a plain status: True, False, or Promised, not law.

• Heard this? "You can vote in Mississippi without a photo ID." False
  The facts: Voters at the polls must show an accepted photo ID, such as a Mississippi driver's license, U.S. passport, or a free Mississippi Voter ID card from the Circuit Clerk. Without one, you vote an affidavit ballot and have 5 business days to show ID. Mail absentee voters are exempt. source: sos.ms.gov
• Heard this? "You can register to vote on Election Day in Mississippi." False
  The facts: Mississippi has no same-day registration. For Nov 3, 2026, the deadline was Oct 5, 2026. source: sos.ms.gov
• Heard this? "Any voter can vote by mail in Mississippi." False
  The facts: Only certain voters can vote absentee by mail, such as people 65 or older, people with a disability, and people temporarily living outside their county. The application must be signed before a notary or other official, unless the voter has a qualifying disability. source: sos.ms.gov
• Heard this? "A mail ballot must arrive by Election Day to count." False
  The facts: In Mississippi, a mail absentee ballot counts if it is postmarked by Nov 3, 2026 and received by Nov 10, 2026 (5 business days later). source: sos.ms.gov
• Heard this? "Any felony conviction takes away your right to vote in Mississippi." False
  The facts: Only certain crimes listed by the state, such as murder, theft, forgery, and voter fraud, remove the right to vote. Rights can be restored by a bill passed by the Legislature or by the Governor. Check the state list or call the Elections Hotline at 1-800-829-6786. source: sos.ms.gov
• Heard this? "The U.S. Supreme Court threw out Mississippi's rule that counts mail ballots arriving after Election Day." False
  The facts: News reports say the Court upheld the law, and the Secretary of State said the 2026 elections are not affected. The official absentee page still lists the Nov 10 receipt deadline. source: sos.ms.gov source: wlox.com
• Heard this? "You'll get $5,000 after the election." Promised, not law
  The facts: On Sept. 9, 2026 the President promised every adult $5,000, a "Trump Dividend", if Republicans keep both the House and the Senate. It is a campaign promise that depends on the election results; no law or payment exists today. Congress would have to pass it, and AP estimates it would cost over $1 trillion. Is this legal? Experts disagree. Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote: "No, Mr. President you can't offer voters $5000 if the Republicans win the House and Senate." Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called it a completed crime under the federal vote-buying law (18 U.S.C. 597). Election attorney John Day told AP it is legal because it would go to everyone regardless of how they vote: "This is a campaign promise." Rice University political scientist Mark Jones: "It's unsavory, but it's legal." Your ballot is secret, so no payment can depend on how you personally vote. source: kold.com source: internazionale.it source: newsweek.com source: ibtimes.co.uk source: katv.com
• Heard this? "Someone can legally pay you to vote, or to vote a certain way." False
  The facts: No. Paying or offering to pay anyone to vote or to register to vote in a federal election is a federal crime (52 U.S.C. 10307(c)). Accepting the payment is a crime too. source: law.cornell.edu
• Heard this? "The $1 million-a-day giveaway in 2024 paid people for voting." False
  The facts: That contest was open only to registered voters in seven swing states, and entering meant signing a petition, not voting. The group's lawyer told a Pennsylvania court the winners were "not chosen by chance". The judge let it continue. source: aljazeera.com

Checked against official sources, court records and news reports. We update this as new claims go around.