Midterm elections are less than a week away and people in the Mississippi Delta are making sure residents vote on Tuesday and stay engaged every day after. MPB’S Alexandra Watts reports.
Voter outreach in the Mississippi Delta has ramped up over the past few months. Advocates are canvassing door to door and online to combat low voter turnout.
Not enough information, transportation issues, voter apathy and the view politicians aren’t listening are some reasons turnout is low according to John Hines, a state representative for Delta counties.
“So what we have to do as elected people is we have to make sure we engage those people who are participating in this process," he said. "Those who need some assistance, we have to make sure we do our due diligence in keeping them engaged.”
Jaribu Hill is the founder of Mississippi Workers Center for Human Rights and said while Election Day is important, voter outreach must focus on voting’s longterm impact.
“So I think you have to approach individuals in the community with a sense of acknowledgment that we know these times are tough and we know that you’ve been disappointed before," she said. "But you have to become a participant. You can’t stand on the sidelines and really speak negatively about a process. What you have to do is get inside that process and make demands on what you deserve.”
More get out the vote efforts are planned in the Delta through the weekend.
