Democratic officials are paying close attention to Black voter turnout in Mississippi

Dr. Eva Jackson, second from right, signs in to vote at Greater Harvest Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday. Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network

For the first time since 1890, voting for governor in Mississippi will be determined by only the popular vote — and some Democratic officials are paying close attention to Black voter turnout. 

In 2020, Mississippi amended the state constitution to reform the way statewide officials, including governors, are elected. Under the old system, which dated to the state’s 1890 constitution, candidates needed to win a majority of the popular vote and a majority of state house districts.

Voting rights groups had long argued the system diluted the Black vote, in a state that has the highest percentage of Black residents in the nation. 

The state legislature and voters replaced the old process with the requirement that a candidate win a majority of the popular vote or else face a runoff. 

While the Democratic candidate, Brandon Presley, says his base is a diverse collection of voters and he is focused on every part of the state— other Democrats in Mississippi are closely watching turnout in places like Jackson and the Delta, where more Black voters live.