Dear Reader,
As voters in Mississippi and across the nation head to the polls in November, it’s incredibly important that they enter the voting booth with accurate information to make decisions for themselves, their families, and the community. We want you to know that the Mississippi Free Press will continue to be your outlet for factual, fair, nonpartisan news for Mississippi and the nation.
Today, we’re asking you to invest in a pillar of democracy: a free and open press. A supporter once told me, “I give to the MFP because I don’t want people to go to the polls with bad information.” Those words continue to stick with me during this election season when both sides-ism and horse-race reporting dominate national media headlines.
Research shows that 13 percent of non-voters are more likely to vote when they consume local news. Our journalism matters because our reporting combats misinformation and the sensationalism national media is bound and determined to push.
Here are some examples of our critical election coverage:
- Our Trusted Elections team fact checks the accuracy of every voting location on the state’s website for every state and national election. During our last statewide election, they found 90 errors on the state’s website. That means when people look up their voting location on the Secretary of State’s website, they’d find an incorrect location and then go to the wrong voting location. Our reporting helps Mississippians exercise their right to vote in a state that does not have early voting.
- Shaunicy Muhammad published award-winning journalism on Hinds Couny’s disastrous ballot shortage during Mississippi’s most recent statewide elections. Hinds County is home to the capital city, which has a majority-Black population.
- News Editor Ashton Pittman reported Donald Trump’s comments encouraging Russia to attack U.S. allies so Mississippians would know about news that is otherwise largely hidden behind paywalls. That reporting went viral and even led one Boston media pundit to tell us to “stay in your lane.” Let’s be clear: Reporting threats to democracy is a lane every good newsroom firmly operates in.
Supporters like you make reporting like this possible. Every email you open, every story you share, and every dollar you invest in our journalism expands our newsroom’s capacity to support democracy and hold the powerful accountable.
Today, I’m asking you to invest in one pillar of democracy during this election season.
With gratitude,
Kimberly Griffin
Publisher
PS: Consider joining the MFP VIP club for just $10 a month. Recurring gifts go a long way toward sustaining our newsroom.
