Mississippi is holding party primary runoffs for two federal offices Tuesday.
Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, and voters are required to show photo identification.
Locally, voters will head to the polls to vote in the Democratic Runoff for U.S. Senate.
David Baria of Bay St. Louis and Howard Sherman of Meridian compete in the Democratic runoff for a U.S. Senate seat that has been held since 2007 by Republican Roger Wicker, who is seeking re-election.
Baria, 55, is an attorney now serving his third term in the Mississippi Legislature. His first term was in the state Senate; the other two have been in the state House. He is currently the Democratic leader in the Republican-majority Mississippi House. Baria has been endorsed in the runoff by the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus.
Sherman, 63, is a venture capitalist who is married to TV and movie actress Sela Ward. Sherman was born in California and lived most of his life there, and records show he was registered to vote as a Republican in California. He and Ward live near her hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. Sherman has said in campaign appearances that he believes Democrats were anti-business in California are not that way in Mississippi.
Six candidates ran in the June 5 primary. The third-place candidate, state Rep. Omeria Scott of Laurel, has endorsed Sherman.
In the first round of voting, Sherman received about 32 percent and Baria received about 31 percent.
The winner of the Democratic runoff will advance to the Nov. 6 general election to face Wicker, who easily won the Republican primary. Also on the general election ballot for this Senate race are the Reform Party’s Shawn O’Hara of Hattiesburg and Libertarian Danny Bedwell of Columbus.
Also on Tuesday, Michael Guest and Whit Hughes compete in a Republican runoff in central Mississippi’s heavily Republican 3rd Congressional District. The seat has been held for the past decade by Republican Gregg Harper, who didn’t seek re-election this year.
Visit yallvote.sos.ms.gov to find your polling location and a sample ballot.
