Secretary Michael Watson Update

Mississippi Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 03/31/2025 11:30 AM CDT

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2025 MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION DAY

Mississippi's 2025 Municipal Primary Election Day is almost here! The April 1 ballot features municipal offices across the state.

Our My Election Day portal is an excellent resource to educate yourself on the upcoming election and receive information tailored to your address. Our goal remains to ensure you have trusted information at your fingertips.

As a reminder, polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Any voter in line at 7:00 p.m. is legally entitled to cast a ballot.

I encourage each of you, regardless of the races on the ballot, to cast your vote on Election Day to ensure your voice is heard. Municipal elections can impact our everyday lives much more quickly than any other election. It's also extremely important to do your research on the issues and candidates before heading to the polls. Make your plans now for Election Day on Tuesday, or cast your mail-in absentee ballot today, if eligible.

Should you have any questions, I encourage you to reach out to our Elections Division at 1-800-829-6786, ElectionsAnswers@sos.ms.gov, or visit YallVote.ms.

READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE

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ATIP ROUNDTABLE

I was honored to attend the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy Roundtable in Washington, D.C. A special thank you to Anne Basham for hosting and to Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith, Marsha Blackburn, and Amy Klobuchar for their efforts in our fight against trafficking!

It was inspiring to see so many state and federal leaders come together to discuss how we can combat trafficking. I look forward to bringing more collaborative efforts to Mississippi as we continue our work with MBAT. I'm proud of the work we've done so far, but there is always more to do.

I encourage you to visit our MBAT website to learn more about how you can get involved to help identify and report trafficking in Mississippi. Every individual we educate and empower could be another life saved!

VISIT THE MBAT WEBSITE

PTV AWARDS CEREMONY

In partnership with the Mississippi Economic Council, we hosted our annual Promote the Vote Awards Ceremony at the Two Mississippi Museums. PTV is our office's K-12 comprehensive voter education program, an excellent opportunity for students across our state to showcase their talent through art, poetry, and essays.

Congratulations to this year's winners and participants! We are grateful for the parents, teachers, and administrators for their support as their students learn how to become educated voters in Mississippi.

VIEW THE 2024 WINNERS LIST

VISIT WITH COACH HUFF

Enjoyed getting to spend some time with my friend, Coach Huff! I'm proud of him and his hard work with the Southern Miss football team.

It's great to see fine Mississippians like Coach Huff leading our student athletes. I'll be cheering extra hard for the Eagles this fall. Good luck on the upcoming season, Coach!

PRCC GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BREAKFAST

A big thanks to Pearl River Community College for the invitation to their annual Legislative Government Officials Breakfast. We discussed recent legislative updates and how to continue fostering growth and engagement in our communities.

I'm always encouraged when visiting with Mississippi's young leaders. Thanks to their involvement and collaboration, the future is bright!

JONES COMPANIES VISIT

I recently toured the new Jones Companies headquarters with Senator Chris Johnson. Couldn't be prouder of Jonathan Jones and his vision and dedication to our state's economic growth.

One of the best things I get to do as Secretary of State is help celebrate our business leaders and their accomplishments. I look forward to watching the continued success of Jones Companies. Mississippi is open for business!

BARN BURNER

It was great to be back with my friends at Barn Burner. We enjoyed a fine evening in Florence of fellowship and good conversations.

A special shoutout to Representative Lance Varner and his family for their gracious hospitality. Their events are always first-class!

VISIT WITH REPUBLICAN WOMEN

I recently had the chance to catch up with the Federation of Republican Women. This group is engaged and dedicated to serving Mississippians. Thankful for these opportunities to hear about the good things going on across our state. Appreciate visiting with these ladies in addition to my legislative colleagues from Jackson County!

VISIT WITH ECM YOUTH LEADERS

Loved visiting with the Electric Cooperatives of MS Youth Leaders Program again this year! This group is truly inspiring and encourages me to be better each day. I'm grateful to help mentor them and encourage them to achieve their goals. The future of Mississippi is in good hands with these students!

STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINE

The deadline to apply for the 2025-2026 SOS Student Ambassador Program is approaching soon! This program provides opportunities for Mississippi high school seniors to expand their leadership skills and learn more about public service.

Investing in Mississippi's best and brightest through this program is one of my favorite things we do since I've taken office. I encourage you to help us share the word with your families, friends, and schools. Our office is accepting applications until April 7.

APPLY NOW FOR THE 2025-2026 CLASS

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

D'Ebonie Weems

D'Ebonie serves as a Senior Applications Developer in our Technology Services Division. She joined the Secretary of State's Office in 2018.

D'Ebonie brings a unique and important blend of technical expertise and business insight to her work. She is a true asset to our agency with her dependable spirit, caring attitude, customer service mentality, and eagerness to take on new challenges.

We are extremely blessed to have D'Ebonie on our team and appreciate her service to Mississippi!

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES