Tuesday is another general election day in Mississippi.
Once more, those qualified to do so may make their voices heard at the ballot box.
Despite disappointing local turnout for the party primaries and runoffs in August — 52% of Tallahatchie County’s registered voters made their mark on Aug. 6 while just 34% did so on Aug. 27 — there is reason to think that the Nov. 5 turnout may be better.
A number of hotly contested statewide offices will be on local ballots, and the fiercest battle of them all is being waged in the race for Mississippi governor.
As Gov. Phil Bryant leaves the Governor’s Mansion after serving the term limited maximum of eight years, Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood and Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves are exchanging barbs in just about every conceivable manner in an effort to win over voters for their candidacies to succeed Bryant. This is expected to be a fairly tight race. Tallahatchie County voters can have a say in the outcome.
Other contested state or state district positions to be featured on next Tuesday’s ballots are those for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, commissioner of agriculture and commerce, commissioner of insurance, Northern District transportation commissioner, state Senate in District 13 and state House in District 10. (For the full lineup, see the composite sample ballot on page 8.)
On the hyperlocal front, three elected offices in Tallahatchie County are up for grabs.
Democratic nominee Jimmy Fly will face independent candidate Rodzinski Weekly in the race for county sheriff. Fly was appointed to the post in August 2018 after longtime sheriff William Brewer resigned. In seeking election this year, Fly topped nine Democratic opponents to claim a first-ballot nomination Aug. 6. Weekly is a deputy on Fly’s staff.
In supervisor’s District 2, incumbent Democrat Johnny Goodwin, who serves as president of the Tallahatchie County Board of Supervisors, is seeking a sixth term. He faces independent Leon Smith.
Independent Melody Smith will vie for District 1 constable against Democratic nominee and former longtime constable Jimmy N. Manues.
Needless to say, but as a matter of due diligence I will anyway, we hope there is a good turnout of local voters.
Some famous quotes about the importance of voting have been used ad nauseum, but I will mention a couple.
The great poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, opined, “Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good. ’Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.”
One of my personal favorites is by American journalist, critic, essayist and editor George Jean Nathan, who wrote, “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”
That’s not to say that any of the aforementioned would be a “bad official,” but it makes good food for thought.
Polls are open from 7-7.
