Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With the disruption of COVID-19, it has been easy to overlook some of the other news items taking place.

Here we are referring to Natchez municipal elections that are underway this year.

Party primaries will be held on June 2 and the general election will be help on July 14.

On the ballots will be candidates for mayor and in three of the city’s six wards.

In case you have concerns about going to the polls in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, you might consider casting an absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot applications and ballots are available by calling City Clerk Servia Fortenberry at 601-445-7507 or by emailing Fortenberry at sfortenberry@natchez.ms.us.

If, however, you don’t mind getting out, you could plan to go by the city clerk’s office and cast an absentee ballot in person.

To facilitate the process, Fortenberry will be opening the City Clerk’s office inside Natchez City Hall at 124 S. Pearl St. from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday, May 23, and again on Saturday, May 30.

Getting in front of the big primary election day could offer a break for poll workers and voters and help curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Regardless of how you choose to cast your ballots, however, we hope everyone will vote in these important elections.

We encourage everyone to study up on the candidates and to elect the best candidates to serve Natchez for the next four years.