Secretary Michael Watson Newsletter

Mississippi Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 03/07/2023 10:22 AM CST

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We Must Continue to Safeguard Mississippi Elections

Upon taking office as Mississippi’s 36th Secretary of State, I swore an oath to uphold the Mississippi Constitution and faithfully discharge the duties of my office. I do not take this responsibility lightly and believe we should all work together to ensure the law is followed, and Mississippi maintains free and fair elections. For this reason, I’m asking for your support of House Bill 1310 (HB 1310) which would further preserve the integrity of Mississippi elections.

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MORE NEWS

WDAM: Miss. Secretary of State urges Hattiesburg businesses to learn the signs of human trafficking

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SUPERTALK: Michael Watson, Mississippi’s Secretary of State, joins the conversation of Coast Vue

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Tackle the Tape Continues to Receive National Recognition

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Winter Conference. This is always a great time to learn more about how we can better serve Mississippi but also to collaborate on strategic initiatives. Additionally, Tackle the Tape (TTT) received national recognition once again by being named a finalist for the NASS 2023 IDEAS (Innovation, Dedication, Excellence and Achievement in Service) Award. This award seeks to recognize originality and excellence in state programming. We are proud of this recognition, but more importantly, proud of the life-changing effects TTT has had on everyday Mississippians.

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Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking Update

As you well know, we hosted our first Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking (MBAT) Summit in late January. For those of you who were unable to attend, video recordings from the sessions are now available on our MBAT website.

We are excited to announce we will be hosting another MBAT Summit the afternoon of April 4 on the campus of Jackson State University. Some of our key speakers include Lt. Kevin Lavine, JSU Criminal Justice professor, Dr. Dana Hunter, Executive Director at the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Human Trafficking Prevention, and Brian Montgomery, father of deceased sextortion victim. To register for this event, please use the button below.

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Student Ambassador Application Now Open

While I am proud of every program our agency has implemented, one of my favorites is our SOS Student Ambassador program. Through this initiative, we have had the opportunity to pour into 56 of Mississippi's bright young leaders by way of monthly zoom calls, a fall summit, and spring summit. It is also a great opportunity for young leaders to cultivate their affinity for public service, expand leadership skills, and network with peers across the state.

The application for the 2023-2024 Ambassador class is now open. I encourage you to share the link below with upcoming high school seniors who have an interest in state government and service and would like to become part of next year's class.

Click Here for the Ambassador Application

MS Federation of Republican Women Day at the Capitol

It's always a great day when red ascends on the steps of the Mississippi Capitol. I'm extremely grateful for the work of the Mississippi Federation of Republican Women and their commitment to making Mississippi a better place for all. Their efforts have helped shape many important initiatives in our state including our most recent initiative, Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Tia Mason

Tia Mason currently serves as a Public Lands Program Specialist in our Public Lands Division. The Lexington, Mississippi native has been employed with the Secretary of State's Office since 2016.

Tia is an extremely hard worker and always has such a positive attitude when completing even the most mundane or frustrating tasks. She is a pleasure to work with, and we are grateful to have her at the agency.

Thank you for your service to Mississippi, Tia!