RALEIGH, MS - The 2020 election cycle is well underway and voters need to make plans to vote safely, and securely. The goal of the Smith County Election Commission and Circuit Clerk Anthony Grayson is to conduct a safe and fair election.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted several changes to state election laws. Please review the following information to ensure you are well aware of current procedures and guidelines regarding the 2020 General Election.

• The absentee voting exception for those with a temporary or permanent physical disability, which is an eligible excuse for mail-in absentee voting, now includes, but is not limited to, those who are under a physician-imposed quarantine, or those who are caring for a dependent who is under a physician-imposed quarantine, due to COVID-19. 
• Mail-in absentee ballots may be received up to five (5) business days after the election IF the envelope is postmarked on or before the date of the election. 
• Absentee ballots will now be the final vote, which means those who vote absentee may not appear on Election Day and cast a regular ballot.
• Smith County is working closely with the Mississippi Secretary of State's office to ensure in-person voting on Election Day is as safe as possible. Each poll manager will be equipped with masks, gloves, and face shields, while hand sanitizer and single-use pens and/or styluses will be available for all voters. Additionally, a limited number of masks will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis for voters who do not have their own.

Absentee ballots are available by request, and should be requested as early as possible to ensure your vote is returned in time for counting. Due to COVID-19, the state expects to see a uptick in mailed ballots, and the Postal Service advises everyone to allow ample time for your ballot to reach the Circuit Clerk's office.

If you need an absentee ballot, you may contact the Circuit Clerk's office at 601-782-4751. 

• For a list of FAQ regarding the election and COVID-19, click here.
• For information about safety at the polls, click here.
• For a complete step-by-step guide to voting by mail in Mississippi, click here.

This year brings several ballot initiatives, and we encourage all voters to read over the sample ballot, understand the initiatives, and familiarize yourself with the language BEFORE Election Day. You can view a sample ballot below.

We want every voter to have ample opportunity to participate in the democratic process that makes our nation so special. If you have any questions or concerns about voting this year, please reach out to the Circuit Clerk's office so we can assist you. You can contact the Circuit Clerk's office at 601-782-4751 or by email at acraft@co.smith.ms.us

RALEIGH, MS - Over the weekend, Tropical Depression Nineteen moved off the coast of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico, becoming Tropical Storm Sally. Sally is expected to continue strengthening and make landfall south of New Orleans, Louisiana sometime next week. Currently, a Hurricane Warning is in effect for all of the Mississippi coastal counties with a hurricane watch and tropical storm watch extending further inland.

At 11:00 AM EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Sally was located near latitude 27.5N, longitude 84.9W, or about 280 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Sally is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph, and a west-northwestward or northwestward motion is expected through Monday. A decrease in forward speed and a turn toward the north-northwest is forecast on Monday night, and slow north-northwestward motion is expected Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico today, move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico tonight and Monday, and approach the north-central Gulf Coast within the hurricane warning area late Monday and Monday night. Sally is expected to move farther inland over southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday and Tuesday night. Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds have increased to near 60 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected over the next day or so, and Sally is forecast to become a hurricane on Monday, with some additional strengthening possible before landfall Monday night. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles primarily to the east of the center. The latest minimum central pressure estimated from reconnaissance aircraft data is 998 mb.

It is imperative that you plan now for potential hurricane conditions next week. Once again, we find ourselves on the upper right side of a landfalling tropical system, which contains the greatest hazards. You can find information on how to plan for a tropical system by downloading the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency's 2020 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here.

Should an evacuation be ordered for the Gulf Coast, please make yourself aware of the evacuation routes.

Evacuation routes in coastal Mississippi are:
- Interstate 10
- Interstate 110
- Interstate 59
- US Highway 90
- US Highway 49
- US Highway 98
- State Route 43
- State Route 603
- State Route 53
- State Route 605
- State Route 67
- State Route 15
- State Route 609
- State Route 57
- State Route 63

While an evacuation would not be expected for Smith County, evacuation routes in Smith County include:
- State Route 35
- State Route 28
- State Route 13

For around the clock updates, follow Smith County Emergency Management on Facebook.

RALEIGH, MS - Tropical Storm Laura has formed in the Caribbean and Tropical Depression Thirteen has formed in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Both systems are slated to move into the Gulf of Mexico and will pose a threat to the Mississippi Gulf Coast next week. As such, we will begin issuing daily alerts on this rare situation as it moves closer to the Gulf Coast. 

At 10AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 17.0N, longitude 60.2W. Laura is moving toward the west near 18 mph and a generally west-northwestward motion at a faster forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over the northern Leeward Islands later today, near or over Puerto Rico Saturday morning, and near the northern coast of Hispaniola late Saturday and early Sunday. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Some slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles from the center. The minimum central pressure estimated from NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations is 1007 mb (29.74 inches).

At 10AM CDT, the center of Tropical Depression Fourteen was located near latitude 16.6N, longitude 84.1W. The depression is moving toward the northwest near 14 mph. A slower northwestward motion is expected over the next couple of days, followed by an increase in speed by Sunday and Monday. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will move away from the coast of Honduras today and will approach the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on Saturday. The center will then cross the northeastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula Saturday night and move over the central Gulf of Mexico toward the northwestern Gulf on Sunday and Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm later today. The system is forecast to be near or at hurricane strength when it reaches the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico late Saturday. Some weakening is expected as it moves over the Yucatan Peninsula Saturday night. Afterward, strengthening is forecast on Sunday as it moves offshore and enters the southern Gulf of Mexico. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

It is imperative that you plan now for potential hurricane conditions. This is a rare situation and Mississippi will feel the impacts from two tropical cyclones only 24-48 hours apart from each other. You can find information on how to plan for a tropical system by downloading the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency's 2020 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here.

Should an evacuation be ordered for the Gulf Coast, please make yourself aware of the evacuation routes.

Evacuation routes in coastal Mississippi are:
- Interstate 10
- Interstate 110
- Interstate 59
- US Highway 90
- US Highway 49
- US Highway 98
- State Route 43
- State Route 603
- State Route 53
- State Route 605
- State Route 67
- State Route 15
- State Route 609
- State Route 57
- State Route 63

While an evacuation would not be expected for Smith County, evacuation routes in Smith County include:
- State Route 35
- State Route 28
- State Route 13

We will issue the next update at 10AM tomorrow.

RALEIGH, MS - As Mississippi experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases that are overwhelming hospitals, we wanted to take a few moments and update you on where the county stands, and what the data says about spread within the county.

As of 6:00PM CDT, on August 3rd, the Mississippi Department of Health is reporting 385 cases of COVID-19 within Smith County, 13 deaths due to COVID-19, 54 of those 385 cases are within long-term care facilities, and 8 of those 13 deaths are from LTCFs. This represents a 220% increase in cases since our last COVID-19 update that we gave on May 19th. 

What this tells us is that community transmission is ongoing, COVID-19 is still being spread, and largely social distancing protocols and mask-wearing measures are being ignored.

Many Mississippians are confused by the orders currently in place, and what has been rescinded. The Office of the Governor has released a cheat sheet that outlines these details, and we encourage every Smith Countian to look it over and familiarize yourself with the current measures.

​Ultimately, the facts and the science has not changed. COVID-19 has not disappeared, it will not simply vanish, and it is not a hoax. We remain steadfast in our goal to curb community spread, prevent long-term hospital overload, and stand united to help protect ourselves, our neighbors, and our communities.

Social distancing, proper hygiene, and mask-wearing are our best tools against COVID-19 at this time, and will remain that way until a vaccine is developed and widely available. We encourage every Smith Countian to mask up, and practice social distancing. It is the absolute best thing you can do on a personal level for your community, your county, state, and your country.

You can view detailed data on the current state of COVID-19 spread within Smith County, including data relating to cases by race, sex, etc. below. Data was aggregated by the Mississippi Department of Health and is accurate as of August 1st, 2020.

RALEIGH, MS - We are continuing our daily updates of Tropical Storm Cristobal as it moves north towards the Gulf Coast.

As of 10:00PM,  the center of Tropical Storm Cristobal was located near latitude 22.7N, longitude 90.1W. Cristobal is moving toward the north near 14 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Cristobal will move over the central Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, and be near the northern Gulf of Mexico coast on Sunday. Cristobal's center is then forecast to move inland across Louisiana late Sunday and Monday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow strengthening is forecast until landfall occurs on the northern Gulf coast. Weakening will begin once Cristobal moves inland late Sunday and Monday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 240 miles (390 km) from the center.

Some changes for this update include the issuance of a Tropical Storm Warning for the Mississippi coast and a Storm Surge Warning. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for all areas from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for all areas east of Morgan City, Louisiana to the Okaloosa/Walton County, Florida line.

RALEIGH, MS - Yesterday, we began passing along daily information about Tropical Storm Cristobal to you as it makes its way towards the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We will continue to monitor the situation through updates from the National Hurricane Center and communicate any changes to you so that you can adequately prepare for possible hazardous conditions.

At 4:00 PM CDT, the center of Tropical Depression Cristobal was located near latitude 17.5N, longitude 90.8W. The depression is moving toward the east-southeast near 3 mph. A turn toward the east and northeast is expected tonight, and a subsequent generally northward motion should occur through Sunday. On the forecast track, the center will move over extreme northwestern Guatemala and eastern Mexico tonight and Friday. The center is forecast to move back over the southern Gulf of Mexico late Friday, over the central Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, and approach the northern Gulf of Mexico coast Sunday and Sunday night. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional weakening is possible overnight. Re-intensification is expected to begin late Friday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 mb (29.50 inches).

Currently, there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Interests along the Mississippi Gulf Coast should monitor the progress of this system. The National Hurricane Center notes that a tropical storm watch and a storm surge watch may be required for a portion of the area tonight or Friday.

It is important to note that on the current path, Cristobal's front right quadrant will be dishing out the most impactful weather to our area. This is due to several factors. The right front quadrant is a region of onshore winds as opposed to the left front quadrant which is a region of offshore winds. The right front quadrant of a landfalling hurricane brings stronger winds, storm surge and increased tornado possibilities and is generally the most devastating section of the storm. The onshore winds of a tropical cyclone tend to be strongest for a couple of reasons. Onshore winds have less friction over water and blow faster than those blowing offshore which have more friction. The forward speed of the entire cyclone also adds to the speed of the winds in the right front quadrant. For faster moving hurricanes this can increase the winds substantially.​

We encourage you to begin making preparations now for potential tropical weather activity going into the weekend. As always, we will keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest information from the National Hurricane Center.

RALEIGH, MS - Tropical Storm Christobal has formed in the southern Gulf of Mexico, and will pose a threat to the Mississippi Gulf Coast this weekend into next week. As such, we will begin issuing daily alerts on this system as it moves closer to the Gulf Coast. 

At 10:00 AM CDT, the center of Cristobal was located near latitude 18.6N, longitude 92.0W. Cristobal is moving toward the SSE near 3 mph, and a turn toward the east is expected later today. A turn toward the NNE and north is expected on Thursday and Friday. On the forecast track, the center will move over the land mass of eastern Mexico through Thursday. The center is forecast to move back over the Gulf of Mexico by Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Cristobal will likely become a tropical depression by Thursday evening. Some re-strengthening is expected to begin on Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 995 mb (29.39 inches).

It is imperative that you plan now for potential tropical storm conditions. You can find information on how to plan for a tropical system by downloading the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency's 2020 Hurricane Preparedness Guide at https://www.msema.org/…/39779_MEMA-Hurrican-Preparedness.pdf
Should an evacuation be ordered for the Gulf Coast, please make yourself aware of the evacuation routes.

Evacuation routes in coastal Mississippi are:
- Interstate 10
- Interstate 110
- Interstate 59
- US Highway 90
- US Highway 49
- US Highway 98
- State Route 43
- State Route 603
- State Route 53
- State Route 605
- State Route 67
- State Route 15
- State Route 609
- State Route 57
- State Route 63

While an evacuation would not be expected for Smith County, evacuation routes in Smith County include:
- State Route 35
- State Route 28
- State Route 13
​
The next update for Smith County will be at 8:00PM tomorrow.

RALEIGH, MS - As Mississippi begins to slowly open back up, we wanted to take a few moments and update you on where Smith County stands, and what restrictions are currently still in place, and what ones are not.

Currently, as of 6:00 PM on May 18th, Smith County is reporting 120 active cases of coronavirus, 9 deaths, and 29 cases of coronavirus within a long-term care facility, and six deaths from a long-term care facility. Those 120 active cases of the virus represent about 0.746% of the total population of the county. Compared to the rest of the state, and neighboring counties, this number is quite low, and the rate of transmission from person-to-person is lower as well. This is due to the stringent measures that were put in place by your Board of Supervisors and Emergency Management team to help slow the spread. Remember the goal was to never stop COVID-19 spreading, it was to avoid a surge of cases that could overrun hospitals in our area.

On April 24th, Governor Tate Reeves allowed the statewide shelter-in-place order to expire, and replaced it with a new Safer-At-Home order. This executive order encouraged people to stay home, avoid essential travel, and continue to socially distance. At the time, the Board of Supervisors felt it was in the best interest of the citizens of Smith County to continue our local order that implemented a curfew, restrictions on age within public spaces, public gatherings, and more.

As Governor Reeves has begun phasing in a reopening plan over the past several weeks, the Board of Supervisors has allowed the local order to expire, and we are pleased to announce that the only restrictions that Smith County is currently enforcing are those that may be set by the state.

It is imperative that individuals use common sense when traveling, shopping, or going to work. No government order can replace your best judgement for what is right for you and your family. We still encourage you to socially distance, travel only when needed, and maintain proper hygiene. Continue to follow CDC guidelines for wearing face coverings.

Just because our orders have been rescinded, doesn't mean that the threat of COVID-19 is gone. COVID-19 is here to stay until a treatment or vaccine is found. It is imperative that we all use common-sense, and the best health practices to continue to curb the effects of this disease. 

RALEIGH, MS - As Executive Order 1466, signed by Governor Tate Reeves on April 1st and placed the state under a mandatory shelter-in-place begins to expire, many are wondering what that means on a local level.

It should be known that the Executive Order that has replaced EO #1466, gives counties and cities the power to keep their local restrictions in place even though statewide restrictions may have lifted.

That being said, Smith County, and its municipalities, are still subject to the restrictions outlined in the March 31st Emergency Proclamation signed by the Board of Supervisors. These restrictions, while inconvenient, are completely necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Smith County's current case count stands at 65 cases, and these are county-wide, not isolated in one particular city. We have seen numerous Facebook posts falsely trying to pin one community for all of the cases in Smith County. This is just not true. Our 65 cases are spread across the county. That number continues to grow daily as testing capacity grows.

It is important to know that while the Governor's restrictions may have been loosened, the threat of coronavirus is still present. We want every Smith Countian to stay safe, practice social distancing, and stay healthy. 

Finally, we want to end this update with a special thank you to all of our county EMA workers, our law enforcement officers, our care center nurses, EMTs, and anyone who is on the front-lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. We owe you our deepest thank you for the sacrifice you make every single day.

Stay safe, Smith County. As with all troubles that face our communities, we will make it through this one together.

RALEIGH, MS - Today county officials announced that soon, residents close to Smith County will have the opportunity to schedule a free appointment for a COVID-19 test. On Thursday, April 9, UMMC and the Mississippi State Department of Health will hold one day of drive-through COVID-19 testing at the Smith County Ag Complex in Raleigh. To get an appointment for testing, you must first be screened through the C-Spire Health app. The app, screening, and testing are free of charge. If you do not have a smartphone, you can call ‪‪601-496-7200 to be screened for testing eligibility.

On the day of your appointment, we ask that you enter the testing site from the north entrance off of State Route 35. You will turn onto Smith County Road 77, and then enter through the gate next to Center Ridge Water Association. Once you enter through the gate, we ask that you keep windows up and remain in your vehicle. Once you get to the testing area you will be approached by the staff that will be completing your test. After your test is complete, you will exit the testing area through the south gate, which will take you back to State Route 35.