26 October 2026
HATTIESBURG, MS – The last week of October is a quiet one on the Pine Belt’s public meeting calendar. Pine Belt Guide checked official county and city websites Monday and found no regular board of supervisors, city council or school board meeting posted for Oct. 26-31.
The short answer: the big deadline this week is absentee voting, which ends at noon Saturday, Oct. 31. Most local boards return the week of Nov. 2, the same week as the Nov. 3 general election.
Which local boards meet this week?
None with a posted date, time and agenda, based on the official sites Pine Belt Guide could reach Monday.
The City of Hattiesburg’s council page listed no upcoming meetings. Forrest County’s calendar showed board meetings on Oct. 5 and Oct. 19 and nothing later in October. Lamar County’s most recent posted agenda is for Oct. 22. Laurel’s council met Oct. 6 and Oct. 20 under its regular schedule.
Several sites could not be checked, including those for the City of Petal and the Hattiesburg, Lamar County, Forrest County and Jones County school districts. If your board posts a meeting this week, Pine Belt Guide wants to hear about it at news@pinebeltguide.com.
When does absentee voting end?
In-person absentee voting for the Nov. 3 general election ends at noon Saturday, Oct. 31, at each county circuit clerk’s office. Mississippi does not have no-excuse early voting, so voters must qualify for an absentee ballot, for example by being 65 or older, having a disability, or having to work or be away from home on Election Day.
Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within five business days afterward to be counted.
The Nov. 3 ballot includes a U.S. Senate seat, U.S. House races, judicial races and school board seats in some districts. Judicial races are nonpartisan. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two advance to a Dec. 1 runoff. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, and voters must show a photo ID. Voters with questions about their ballot or polling place should call their county circuit clerk.
Who is running the Perry County circuit clerk’s office?
That question is still open. Perry County Circuit Clerk Christy Pittman Mayo died Thursday, Oct. 22, WDAM reported, citing a statement from the Perry County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office called her “a true pillar of our community.”
In Mississippi, the circuit clerk’s office runs voter registration and absentee voting for the county. Pine Belt Guide is seeking details from county officials on who will oversee the office through the final week of absentee voting and on Election Day.
What did Lamar County supervisors take up last week?
The Lamar County Board of Supervisors’ Oct. 22 agenda included a request for a countywide burn ban from Oct. 22 through Oct. 31. The agenda also listed a $778,730.81 transfer from the county’s Additional Tax Trust Fund to its Eagle One Bond Fund for a debt payment, the final amended budget for fiscal 2026 and the 2026 assessment rolls. It also listed a $40,000 transfer between district parks funds to cover part of the county’s match for a walking track on Old Highway 11 in Purvis.
The agenda shows what the board planned to consider, not what it approved. Pine Belt Guide is seeking details on the board’s votes.
Who joined the Lumberton board?
Jackie Hart won Lumberton’s Ward 4 special election Thursday, Oct. 22, defeating Shamika Walker 79-42 in unofficial returns, according to WDAM. Of the ward’s 277 registered voters, 121 cast ballots. Certification was set for Friday, Oct. 23. Hart will represent the city’s largest ward on the board of aldermen.
What projects are moving forward?
Greene County is taking bids on Contract No. 2 of its countywide bridge replacement program, part of a $12 million bond effort to replace 12 bridges. Bids are due at 10 a.m. Dec. 2. Read more.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation is moving forward with “Alternative G” to connect the Eagle One Mega Site in Forrest and Lamar counties to Interstate 59 and U.S. 11. The study is expected to wrap up by the end of 2027, and another public hearing is planned. Read more.
Are burn bans still in place?
Yes, in several counties. Forrest County’s ban runs through Oct. 31 and Jones County’s through Nov. 16, according to WDAM. Wayne County extended its ban to Nov. 2. The National Weather Service in Jackson says open burning is discouraged. See this week’s Pine Belt weather outlook and the Mississippi Forestry Commission’s current burn ban list.
When do boards meet next?
The week of Nov. 2 should be busy. Lamar County’s Oct. 22 agenda lists the board’s next meeting as Nov. 2. Wayne County supervisors also meet Nov. 2, when the county’s burn ban is set to end. Jones County supervisors meet the first and third Mondays at 9:30 a.m., according to the posted schedule, which would put the next meetings on Nov. 2 and Nov. 16 at the Laurel Courthouse. Laurel’s council meets the first Tuesday after the first Monday at 5:30 p.m., according to the posted schedule. This year, that falls on Election Day, Nov. 3, so check for a date change.
Pine Belt Guide will publish a full preview of that week, with agenda items where they are available.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a city council meeting in Hattiesburg this week?
None was posted on the city’s website as of Monday.
What is the last day to vote absentee in person?
Saturday, Oct. 31, until noon, at your county circuit clerk’s office.
When is the general election?
Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Do I need an ID to vote in Mississippi?
Yes. Voters must show a photo ID at the polls.