Mayor Adams and the Board of Aldermen would like to provide the following information regarding MUNICIPAL ELECTION polling location changes.
PLEASE NOTE... NONE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE ANY IMPACT ON COUNTY, STATE, OR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. IT DOES NOT IMPACT WHERE ANYONE VOTES FOR THE 11/5/24 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
In an effort to assist voters with better parking, on municipal election dates, the Board of Aldermen, at their 10/15/24 meeting, approved contracting with 5 churches in Olive Branch to serve as poll locations for municipal elections, and set a date of 11/5/24 to take public comments regarding the proposed locations and a minor expansion of Ward 5. This Ward is being expanded to accommodate land that was added as a result of a landowner requesting Chancery Court to allow the land to be included in the incorporated area of Olive Branch. There are NO homes nor any residents currently living on this land.
You may be asking why the City would schedule this meeting to allow public comments on the same day as the Presidential election. All municipalities in the State of Mississippi, by statute, meet the first and third Tuesday of each month and do not adjust for any elections, including presidential elections. The 11/5/24 date was selected based on the time required to secure agreements from the new polling places, the time required between the hearing and the anticipated date of ordinance adoption, and the time it takes under state law for ordinances to become effective and for cards to be mailed to registered voters. Mississippi municipalities will also meet on the first Tuesday in June of 2025 when municipal elections occur, and if current aldermen and mayors are on the ballot, they learn if they retain their position while working at their Board meeting.
The City has advised residents through social media that the public comment items will be heard the latter part of the 11/5/24 meeting in case a resident is delayed in attending the meeting due to voting in the presidential election. We have also advised that residents are welcome to send written comments on these items to the City Clerk’s Office at 9200 Pigeon Roost Road, Olive Branch, MS 38654, or send them to
info@obms.us.
The City will also accept public comments at the 11/19/24 Board of Aldermen meeting if residents would like to make them at that time.
