Absentee ballots are now available for the May 2 Natchez municipal Democratic primary, said City Clerk Frances Trosclair. She said voters can request absentee ballots in person or by phone or mail.

In-office absentee voting must be completed by noon Saturday, April 29. The city clerk’s office will be open both Saturday, April 22, and April 29 for absentee voting.

Mail-out applications and absentee ballots must be received by the city clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Monday, May 1, and must be mailed in separate envelopes.

&uot;All absentee written requests or telephone requests must be mailed by the city clerk to the voter, and its is the responsibility of the voter to make sure that both the application and the ballot are mailed back to the city clerk,&uot; Trosclair said. &uot;No hand-delivered applications or ballots are allowed.&uot;

Voters who are 65 or older, disabled or who will be out of the city on election day can qualify for absentee ballots. Other qualifications include that a voter be:

an enlisted or commissioned member of any component of the U.S. Armed Forces.

a disabled war veteran who is a patient in any hospital or their spouse or dependent.

a member of the Merchant Marine or Red Cross.

a civilian attached to and serving outside of the United States with any branch of the Armed Forces or with the Merchant Marine or American Red Cross.

a citizen of Mississippi temporarily residing outside the United States.

a student, teacher or administrator at a college, university, junior or community college, high, junior high, elementary or grade school whose studies or employment necessitates an absence from the city.

the parent, spouse or dependent of a person with a temporary or permanent physical disability who is hospitalized outside his or her city of residence more than 50 miles away from his residence, and plans to be with that person on election day or

required to work on election day during the times when the polls will be open.

For information, call the city clerk’s office at 445-7500.