What is the abbreviation for Mississippi, and what region is it in?

Mississippi's two-letter postal abbreviation is MS. The U.S. Census Bureau places it in the South region, in the East South Central division, and about 2.96 million people lived there in the 2020 census.

When did Mississippi become a state, and what number state was it?

Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. Congress had created the Mississippi Territory in 1798, and when Mississippi became a state, the eastern part of the territory was organized separately as the Alabama Territory.

What does the name Mississippi mean?

The state is named for the Mississippi River. The name comes from an Ojibwe word usually written "misi-ziibi," meaning "great river."

What is the capital of Mississippi, and has it always been the capital?

Jackson, named for Andrew Jackson, has been the capital since 1822, when it was chosen for its central location. Earlier seats of government included the town of Washington, near Natchez, and Natchez itself. The Old Capitol was completed in 1839, and the current State Capitol opened in 1903.

What states border Mississippi?

Mississippi borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, and Louisiana and Arkansas to the west, where the Mississippi River forms most of the boundary. To the south it has about 44 miles of coastline on the Gulf of Mexico.

What are Mississippi's nickname, motto, and symbols?

Mississippi is known as "The Magnolia State." Its motto is "Virtute et armis," Latin for "By valor and arms." Its state bird is the northern mockingbird, and the magnolia is both its state flower and its state tree.

Why did Mississippi change its state flag?

In June 2020 the legislature retired the flag adopted in 1894, which included the Confederate battle emblem, and a commission designed a replacement. Voters approved the new flag, with a magnolia blossom in the center, in November 2020, and it became official in January 2021. Learn more about U.S. flag history.

How many representatives and electoral votes does Mississippi have?

Based on the 2020 census, Mississippi has 4 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, the same as before, which gives it 6 votes in the Electoral College.

U.S. State20th State • December 10, 1817

Mississippi MS

"The Magnolia State"

The birthplace of the blues, the land that shaped Elvis and Oprah, and a state whose history, painful, complex, and extraordinary, is inseparable from the story of America itself.

State Debt - FY2024

$7.7 billion

Total state government debt outstanding at the close of fiscal 2024, including long-term bonds and short-term borrowing across state agencies and public universities.

Tax Revenue - FY2024

$10.6 billion

Total Mississippi state tax collections in fiscal 2024, led by the general sales tax ($5.1B) and the individual income tax ($2.3B).

Borrowing

Mississippi issues general obligation bonds backed by its full faith and credit, along with revenue bonds for specific programs, sold to investors in the municipal market. A statutory cap ties outstanding general obligation debt to a share of internal revenue collections. The state reported about $262 million in interest on its debt in fiscal 2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Survey of State Government Finances.

2.94M

Population

20th

State (1817)

44 mi

Coastline

HBCU Universities

Mississippi's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Hey there, Mississippi. On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, you're choosing one of your U.S. senators, your member of the U.S. House, judges, and local offices. There's no governor's race and no statewide ballot question this year.

This is a midterm election, halfway through the president's term, and nationally it decides who controls Congress for the next two years. Mississippi elects its governor in odd-numbered years; the next one is in 2027.

Heads up: Mississippi doesn't have early voting for everyone. If you can't make it on Election Day, you need a qualifying reason to vote absentee.

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against published sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Key Dates
Last day to register to vote	Monday, October 5
Last day for in-person absentee voting at your circuit clerk's office (noon)	Saturday, October 31
Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by today	Tuesday, November 3
Last day for postmarked absentee ballots to arrive (five business days after Election Day)	Tuesday, November 10

How Voting Works in Mississippi

Register by October 5 at your circuit clerk's office, by mail, or when you get your driver's license. Mississippi has no same-day registration.

Most voters vote on Election Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Absentee voting, in person at your circuit clerk's office or by mail, is for voters with a qualifying reason, such as being 65 or older, having a disability, working during polling hours, or being away from home. In-person absentee voting ends at noon on Saturday, October 31.

A mailed absentee ballot counts if it's postmarked by Election Day and arrives within five business days. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld that grace period in June 2026 in Watson v. Republican National Committee.

Bring a photo ID to vote in person, such as a driver's license, passport, or a free Mississippi Voter ID card from your circuit clerk. Without one, you can vote an affidavit ballot and show ID within five business days.

Sources & Further Reading

…

Mississippi's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Heads up: Mississippi doesn't have early voting for everyone. If you can't make it on Election Day, you need a qualifying reason to vote absentee.

Key dates and how voting works are right below. Use the buttons above to open each race. Facts first; the decision is yours.

Checked against published sources on October 5, 2026

Key Dates

Last day to register to vote

Monday, October 5

Last day for in-person absentee voting at your circuit clerk's office (noon)

Saturday, October 31

Election Day: polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by today

Tuesday, November 3

Last day for postmarked absentee ballots to arrive (five business days after Election Day)

Tuesday, November 10

How Voting Works in Mississippi

Register by October 5 at your circuit clerk's office, by mail, or when you get your driver's license. Mississippi has no same-day registration.

Mississippi's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in Mississippi

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Mississippi's 2026 Midterm Election: Who and What Is on Your Ballot

Key Dates

How Voting Works in Mississippi

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading

Sources & Further Reading