In just more than one week, Southwest Mississippians will head to the polls to select from a slate of candidates to represent our state in the nation’s capital.

On the June 5 party primary ballots, candidates for one of Mississippi’s U.S. Senate races will vie for their party’s nomination, along with candidates seeking to be chosen for the U.S. House of Representatives, Third Congressional District.

In today’s edition, our staff begins to give a brief overview of each House of Representatives’ candidate.

Next Sunday, we’ll do the same for the U.S. Senate candidates.

Elections officials often predict that mid-term elections often have low voter turn out.

For Mississippi, if that prediction holds true this year, we should be ashamed.

Of all states in the union, Mississippi has a myriad of needs, thus we should never take the election of a national leaders for granted.

Electing a senator and representative is among the most important tasks a Mississippi resident can do by exercising their right to vote.

Please get informed and urge those around you to do the same. Then remember to focus on reminding voters to make it to the polls on June 5.

The future is in our hands, but we must exercise our own ability to shape it.