With the month of September here, just celebrating Labor Day this past Monday, the election season now begins in earnest. September is designated as voter registration month and September 17 is voter registration day. It was thirty years ago this fall back in 1994 when I was a twenty-year-old college student and I began working in the campaigns of Joey Loper and Clarence Morgan III who were running for circuit judges in this district which covered Carroll and Montgomery Counties. That year I helped register voters to vote in that November 1994 General Election, as a then 20-year-old, it was very educational and informative. That year there were two posts to be elected and once the votes was certified, Morgan and Loper won the two seats for circuit court judges.
I remember I got the forms and while I was out campaigning for the two candidates running for circuit judge I was able to register many voters that were along my age then 18 years old up to early twenty’s. Through these forms I learned a lot about voter registration along with the election, functions of the circuit clerk, and secretary of state’s offices.
Secretary of State Michael Watson joins fellow members of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) in proclaiming September as National Voter Registration Month. During the month of September, the Secretary of State's Office, government agencies, and organizations across the nation will promote the importance of voting and the significance of keeping your voter registration information up to date. Many of those I helped register back in 1994 are still participating in the process, and here thirty years later, as we are in National Voter Registration Month 2024, I am reminded of the importance in voting.
“Voting is a fundamental right for all American citizens, and we encourage those who are eligible to exercise their civic duty. I'm proud of our continued efforts to encourage participation here in Mississippi, including helping to register nearly 310,000 Mississippians since taking office in 2020," said Secretary of State Michael Watson.
In 2002, NASS members established September as National Voter Registration Month to focus on encouraging voter participation and increasing awareness about state requirements and deadlines for voting. The Secretary of State's Office is continuing the Voter Registration Road Trip which includes hosting voter registration drives across the state throughout September.
When I first registered to vote, I left the Carrollton courthouse with the feeling that my voice matters, because I was now a registered voter.
Just as three decades ago as a twenty-year-old worker during those campaigns from back in 1994, I witnessed the important to participate in elections. To be eligible to vote in the November 5 General Election, you must register in-person by October 7, 2024. All mailed voter registration applications must be postmarked by October 7, 2024
Ken Strachan serves as the mayor of North Carrollton and is a member of the Mississippi Municipal League board of directors
