Thread by @ashtonpittman

@echndc The biggest issue for MS generally when it comes to politics isn't primarily who is in office. The biggest problem is the people don't have enough power.

5x as many are disenfranchised due to Jim Crow-era felony voters laws as made the difference in the 2019 governor's race.

@echndc And the majority of those disenfranchised for that one reason (not even including all the others) are mostly Black.

Folks need to invest in the people of this state to empower more to choose leaders & ensure that leaders know the people have power & to take the people seriously.

@echndc Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith won the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Mississippi by about 66,000 votes.

There are about 230,000 Mississippians, including 130,000 Black Mississippians, who can't vote bc of past felony convictions due to our Jim Crow-era felony disenfranchisement law.

@echndc Some have discussed possibly having a ballot initiative to end our felony voter disenfranchisement laws so that once people serve their time, they are eligible to vote again. But so far, no one has funded such an initiative. It's unlikely to come from our Legislature.

@echndc The 2019 governor's race was even closer. Jim Hood lost to Tate Reeves by 45,000 votes.

What would that election have looked like if 230,000 Mississippians weren't barred from voting due to felony disenfranchisement? No idea.

@echndc The number of people disenfranchised by felonies is also larger than Trump's margin of victory here in 2016, too, btw. Not sure about 2020.