Locals look toward 2024 elections

Jan. 12—Meridian and Lauderdale County voters will join others throughout the nation in casting their ballots for the next president of the United States.

Primary elections are set for March 12, and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 5, and candidates, who have already been campaigning for more than a year, are gearing up for the final push.

Ahead of this year's election, several local residents shared their thoughts on what they'd like to see in a candidate and the issues important to them.

Meridian City Councilwoman Ty Bell Lindsey, who represents Ward 5, said community and economic development are key issues for her. Economic development brings in industries and jobs while community development provides improved infrastructure, city services and more. The two together, she said, are critical components for good quality of life.

"What is going to bring more quality of life to the average person," she said.

Marion resident Tommy Williams said his main concern is making sure the elections are fair citing concerns about election fraud. A recent poll conducted by the Washington Post and University of Maryland from Dec. 14-18 found roughly a third of Americans surveyed do not believe Biden was elected fairly in 2020. No evidence has been found of widespread voter fraud on a scale that would change the outcome of the 2020 election.

"The first thing is in all the swing states are they going to get away with stuffing the ballot box and all the stuff they got away with last time," he said.

In a candidate, Lindsey said she is looking for a strong leader who will work to provide opportunities for growth across the board. The ideal candidate, she said, will work to be inclusive instead of divisive and work to make sure all Americans have a shot at advancement.

"Lead by example, lead with a good head and in a way that others are drawn to your leadership," she said.

Although primary elections are not yet over, recent polling shows former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are likely to be their respective party's nominee.

Lindsey said she is a firm believer in innocent until proven guilty, and the former president, while facing four criminal indictments, has not been convicted. However, she said, Trump has shown his character does not align with her values.

"Once they show you who they are, you have to believe them," she said.

Williams said he sees the indictments of the former president as an effort by Democrats to keep Trump off the ballot. It will likely fall to the Supreme Court, he said, to decide whether or not those efforts will be successful.

"It emphasizes the efforts to which the Democrats will go to keep him from being the nominee," he said.

Although Biden's son, Hunter, faces criminal charges and House Republicans have launched an impeachment inquiry, Lindsey said she isn't ready to place the blame for Hunter's alleged missteps at Biden's feet. Parents can be held responsible for the actions of young children, she said, but it's harder to make that argument when the children are adults.

Williams said Biden's cognitive and physical decline are definitely cause for concern, and he doesn't believe the president is up for another term.

"I just don't know how they can end up with him as the candidate," he said.

As the election season gets underway, Lindsey said she wants to encourage residents to identify issues that are important to them and which candidates align with their views. Candidates do change their minds sometimes, she said, and someone who may have had similar values in the past might have a different stance on it now.

Contact Thomas Howard at thoward@themeridianstar.com