Secretary Michael Watson Newsletter

Our office held the inaugural Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking (MBAT) Summit last month on the University of Southern Mississippi campus. It was a great day with 150+ business participants from across the state. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported over 25 businesses have been connected with service providers to assist their human trafficking awareness efforts. Our goal has been, and will remain, to provide knowledge, tools, and resources to our business owners.

I was so excited to host the Spring Summit for our SOS Student Ambassadors. The group of 56 high school seniors reconvened in Jackson for another full day of sessions which included the legislative process, voter registration drives, and other SOS-related content. Other highlights included a drop-in from Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and a Lunch & Learn with Chevron who educated students on various jobs within the corporation, starting salaries, and internship opportunities. These students have a genuine love for Mississippi and are some of the brightest young minds in our state. I'm thankful for their commitment to making our state better and for the impact they have had on me.

It was an honor to present co-recipients Bobby L. Hudson III (Harrison County) and Maisie Brown (Hinds County) the National Association of Secretaries of State’s (NASS) John Lewis Youth Leadership Award during a special presentation at the Mississippi Capitol. Maisie and Bobby are bright young leaders in Mississippi. There are exemplary citizens who embody the spirit and tenacity of Congressman John Lewis. I am grateful for their contributions to our state but know the best is yet to come for these outstanding individuals.

I was grateful to my friends in Gulfport for hosting me at their Rotary Club luncheon. I enjoy any opportunity to talk about the good things happening at the Secretary of State's Office, but I think my favorite part was the opportunity to discuss tidelands issues. I am proud to be from the Coast and will forever be supportive of growing and strengthening the state's strongest economic engine; however, my office will always follow and consistently apply the law as crafted by the Legislature and interpreted by the Mississippi Supreme Court, as we all should. Importantly, this unique property is held in trust for Mississippians residing in Belmont just as much as it is for those residing in Biloxi.

During my time in public service, I’ve done my best to serve all Mississippians. The more we work as a team for the common good as opposed to working for credit, the better off we’ll be.  While I believe Mississippi would be more prosperous with better leadership at the top, leadership that fostered teamwork as opposed to micromanagement, leadership that cared more for Mississippi than politics, I’m not at peace leaving the work we’ve started here at the Secretary of State’s Office because there’s a lot more to be done. From strengthening the integrity of our elections process, continuing our Tackle The Tape initiative to cut the regulatory burden on businesses, implementing Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking and our work with Tidelands, 16th Section lands, and the Conservation Task Force, our team has done a wonderful job of making Mississippi even better over the last three years. I’m excited to ask Mississippians for four more years as your Secretary of State. I look forward to traveling our beloved state visiting with you and earning your support for another term as your Secretary of State.

Jessica Thornton

Jessica Thornton serves as a Charities Program Specialist in our Charities Division and has been employed full-time with the Secretary of State's Office since 2010 (started on contract in 2008)

Jessica's attention to detail, technology skills, and understanding of division processes have proved to be a great asset to the agency. Her genuine personality and comforting voice gives callers a sense of ease and encouragement as they navigate the Charities Division online system.  As one of the longest serving employees in her division, Jessica’s institutional knowledge helps daily operations run smoothly and effectively. We are grateful for her dedication, teamwork, work ethic, and loyalty.