These elections are important for determining the future course of Mississippi.
January 3, 2023, happens to be the first Tuesday after the first Monday of January and thus, the start of the Mississippi Legislative session. For the next 90 days, my government relations team will be at the state capitol monitoring legislation and educating members of the Mississippi House and Senate, regarding the potential effect such outcomes could have on Mississippi’s 26 electric cooperatives and their members. It just so happens that 2023 is an election year for Mississippi. I know some of you are thinking, “Didn’t we just have an election in November?” Yes, we did, but this is Mississippi and in Mississippi, it is always an election year for some office! In 2022 you voted for the folks you send to Washington, D.C. In 2023, you will vote for your statewide officials, House and Senate members, county sheriffs, circuit and chancery clerks, county supervisors, right on down to your local dogcatcher. Ok, maybe not the dogcatcher, but you understand my meaning. All the folks who touch your life daily and make decisions directly affecting you will be on the ballot.
These elections are important for determining the future course of Mississippi. Therefore, not only do we want to encourage our cooperative membership to vote, but we also want to help you become a better-informed voter. Throughout this year we will be doing interviews, both written and video, with current and potential state leaders, so you, as a voter, can understand why this person wants the job and what they intend to do should they be elected.
I know some of you are Republicans, while others are Democrats, and some vote the way my father did, “I vote for the man, not the party.” That’s fine with us. We are going to be, well I cannot say fair and balanced, someone else owns that line, but let’s just say we are going to give equal opportunity to all thoughts and ideas, regardless of party, so you, as a co-op member and voter, can make an informed decision on Election Day. (Whoa, flashback to my days of practicing law!)
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors,” is a quote often attributed to Plato. As someone who has run for and won public office, I understand that not everyone has the desire or attributes to be a politician. But voting is a form of participation, and every qualified man and woman in Mississippi should not only cast their vote, but care enough to understand who they are voting for and why.
My goal in 2023 is to make that easier for you to do.
Enjoy our January issue.
ECM Legislative Roster App
Check out our easy-to-use mobile app of Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple App store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.
