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Now is the time to get involved in government in more ways than one.

Qualifying for local and statewide offices began on Tuesday, Jan. 3, and ends at 5 p.m. on Feb. 1.

In local offices, this includes all county supervisors’ seats, the county prosecutor, sheriff, chancery clerk, circuit clerk, tax collector, tax assessor, Justice Court Judges, District Attorney,

constables and coroner.

State offices up for election include the governor and other state executives, Mississippi House Representatives, Mississippi Senators and special state legislators.

For anyone interested in pursuing any of these offices, now is their chance to do so. For the rest of us as constituents, now is the time to pay attention and be involved in local and state politics in other ways before the Aug. 8 primary election.

First, stay informed of the issues that affect you and where your leaders stand on those issues.

Attend meetings or read and watch your local news to stay informed and make educated decisions. When that qualifying deadline has arrived, take the opportunity to get to know each candidate listed on the ballot and not just the incumbents. Keep in mind, they are all vying for your vote and will tell you what you want to hear, so pay attention to their political history, their education level and their experience. Be wary of mudslinging campaigns that spread false rumors about candidates and seek the truth.

Finally, be mindful of voter registration and early voting deadlines and election dates.

The last chance for Mississippians to register to vote in the Aug. 8 primary is before 5 p.m. on July 10. The circuit clerk’s office must remain open from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Aug. 8.

The last change to register in primary runoff elections is before 5 p.m. on July 31 and the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 7 general election is Oct. 9 in person or Oct. 10 by mail. Those who have recently moved or have not recently voted should keep these dates in mind and check on their voter registration status with their circuit clerk’s office.

Do you plan to be away on election day?

The circuit clerk’s office will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 29, for absentee voting. The deadline to vote absentee in person before the primary is noon on Aug. 5. The circuit clerk’s office will be open for runoff absentee voting from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Aug. 19, and Saturday, Aug. 26, before the runoff election on Aug. 29. The last chance to vote in-person absentee before the Nov. 7 general election is from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 4. All mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before election day.