The U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent population estimates show that of Mississippi’s roughly 3 million residents, about 78% are over the age of 18, meaning that, by and large, those 78% are able to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Voting is more than just going to our local polling place, be it a church gym or a community center, and filling out a ballot. The names on our ballots represent platforms, and those platforms are the candidate’s goals for the people of Mississippi during their term. It can be hard to know whether those goals align with issues we care about and whether the candidate is invested in Mississippi’s future if all we see is a name.
As two young voters from Mississippi, this is something we’ve been thinking about a lot. Mississippians, coming from one of the highest-poverty states in the country, are often categorized by our high infant and maternal mortality rates or our struggling education system. It often seems like society has decided to sweep Mississippians under the rug, and it can be easy to buy into that narrative. This is especially true if you’re from one of Mississippi’s vast rural areas, like we are.
However, we also know that voting is a way that democracy gives power to the people to make the government work for them. But figuring out where candidates stand on relevant issues is difficult, especially when our politics are swarming with hostile, polarizing rhetoric and targeted ads driven by made-for-you algorithms. These and other facets of our politics make democracy—and frankly, just the basic civic duty of voting—overwhelming and exhausting. It’s no surprise that Mississippi has lower voter turnout than the national average year after year. Still, we believe the people of Mississippi want to participate and want transparency and accountability from their policymakers.
That’s why we decided to help lead a grassroots initiative in Mississippi called Stance on Science, which is a non-partisan project of the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy. The premise of Stance on Science is simple: Teams of early-career scientists invested in the future of their states pose questions to political candidates regarding science-focused policy topics and disseminate candidates’ responses to voters.
The goal of this project is to create an accessible resource for all voters to feel empowered to make informed voting decisions while encouraging thoughtful engagement between policymakers and communities. We also hoped to show our communities and policymakers that science reaches far beyond the classroom or lab. Instead issues that affect Mississippians every day—from helping their kids with homework after school to their power bills—have scientific dimensions.
The questions we asked Mississippi candidates on the ballot in November were informed by issues that are on the forefront of Mississippians’ minds including data centers and artificial intelligence; energy production and use; K-12 education; fisheries, agriculture and wildlife; and trust in science. These questions were ultimately grounded in data but were also informed by our own personal backgrounds and perspectives.
Our Bona Fides
Edith-Marie grew up in the Mississippi Delta, which is one of the poorest regions of the country, financially, but, she would argue, one of the richest in terms of culture. Though the Delta faces struggles, there’s also a spirit of togetherness and family, with residents supporting one another through hardships and celebrating individual joys as communal. The Delta has also produced incredible music and delicious food, and the spirit of community thrives in this region of the state.
Additionally, Edith-Marie attended Mississippi public schools throughout her childhood and had a firsthand look at the importance of support for the school system in nurturing children and is a proud graduate of the University of Mississippi, one of the state’s public institutions. Her experiences as a child in the Delta also led her to pursue a career in public health, inspired by a dream to help her home flourish.
Logan is from Lucedale, Mississippi, a rural town in George County situated among endless acres of cow fields and row crops in South Mississippi that prides itself on maintaining its Mayberry main street while also becoming one of the fastest growing cities in Mississippi. Logan is also a proud product of Mississippi public schools who taught math and science at his high school alma mater before returning to graduate school. For him, education, science literacy especially, is a powerful solution to the growing number of problems Mississippians face.
We’re also both researchers and early-career scientists ourselves. We know there are multiple perspectives that shape the decision-making process for leaders, but we believe that data, evidence and reason should be at the forefront. We believe voters value these qualities, too.
When we first brought the initiative to Mississippi, it wasn’t clear how fruitful—or futile—our efforts would be. We weren’t sure if candidates would even acknowledge us. We learned that while incumbents are particularly difficult to reach, the majority of the 15 candidates on the ballots this November responded to us, including both major candidates for Senate.
In a world full of misinformation and division, it can be easy to feel disempowered, and that’s why we’ve dedicated time and resources to putting together the Mississippi Stance on Science resource. We believe wholeheartedly that the people of Mississippi, as well as people around the country, deserve a resource for them that gives them the facts and empowers them to make thoughtful decisions in the ballot box.
Some elections are decided by a handful of votes, and those we elect make policies that shape our everyday lives. If we want to see the world we dream of, then we need to make the best decisions we can when we elect those officials and hold them accountable to their platforms.
This MFP Voices opinion essay reflects the personal opinion of its author(s). The column does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
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