Today is Election Day and Warren County residents can rest assured they have nothing to worry about when it comes to casting their vote.

“I am absolutely confident that we are having a very fair and honest election,” said Sara Dionne, chairman of the Warren County Election Commission and an election commissioner representing District 4.

Dionne, along with Don Oakes, have handled the county’s voting machines since the late 1980s, and have assured voters the election commission has taken the appropriate measures to safeguard voters’ ballots and the voters themselves when they go to cast their ballots.

“Everyone who is a registered voter who casts a vote, their vote will count,” Dionne said.

She said all ballots are transported in sealed containers and those who handle ballots follow a strict chain of custody.

“We keep track of sealed numbers and check them on the voting machines and all of the paper ballot transport containers,” she said.

Oakes said, all of the voting machines have “checks and balances” during each step in the election procedure.

“There is no way for someone to hack in externally with electronics,” he said. “The machines have no connection to the internet and no wifi connection at all. There is no way anyone can hack into these machines.”

To make certain voters do not feel undo pressure from anyone when at the polling precincts, the election commission stations trained bailiffs at each polling place.

“His or her job is to maintain order and security,” Dionne said. “They allow no campaigning within 150 feet of the precinct and they prevent anyone from talking to voters. You can’t do an exit poll or even discuss your vote with your neighbor within 30 feet of the polling place. You come and vote and move on.

“In fact, if someone gets out of their car and comes up with campaign pins or hats or anything like that, they have to remove it before coming into the polling place,” she said.

More positives for Vicksburg:

4 Vicksburg High School played host to local pageants that advanced seven contestants to the Miss Mississippi Pageant and seven contestants to the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. Winners were Miss Vicksburg Anne Elizabeth Buys; Miss Pride of the South Vivian O’Neal; Miss Belle of the Bayou Arrielle Dale; Miss Delta Blues Madeline Overby; Miss Warren County Colby Brumfield; Miss Red Carpet City Kaci Bryant and Miss North Central Mississippi Emily Tingle. Winners of the teen pageant were Miss Vicksburg’s Outstanding Teen Holly Brand; Miss Pride of the South’s Outstanding Teen Julieanna Jackson; Miss Belle of the Bayou’s Outstanding Teen Grace McAllister; Miss Delta Blues’ Outstanding Teen Hannah Britt; Miss Warren County’s Outstanding Teen Abigal Vance; Miss Red Carpet City’s Outstanding Teen Lexie Bowen and Miss North Central Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Kennedy Corey.

4 The Warren Central High School football team completed a 9-2 regular season and are one of four teams to qualify for the Class 6A playoffs.

4 The Vicksburg High School football team locked up its third nine-win season since 1993, and the No. 3 seed in Region 2-5A will advance to the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.