Dear Mississippians,

Like you, I’m certainly ready to turn the 2020 page. However, as odd as it may sound, I’ll treasure 2020 for the rest of my days. As tough as assuming a statewide position is in itself, the addition of Covid-19 complications made it that much more difficult. That said, as I reflect on 2020, I do so with a tremendous amount of pride and gratefulness.

The Lord granted me one of the finest teams of Mississippians with which to run our agency this year. I’ve formed many friendships that will last a lifetime, and we accomplished numerous noteworthy feats. To name a few, we oversaw successful elections that will go down as the cleanest and safest in Mississippi history. Our Tackle the Tape initiative (created to help cut the regulatory burden on Mississippi entrepreneurs and businesses) was noticed by the White House, who asked us to present the initiative to leaders across the country. Additionally, although it sounds simple, we were able to move back and forth from telework to in-office work. The seamless transitions allowed us to preserve our office family’s health without skipping a beat to deliver the first-class service Mississippians have come to expect from our office.

As successful as 2020 was for our office, we are looking forward to an even better 2021. We’ll be launching an even better website, expanding our Tackle the Tape initiative, rolling out a new Election Returns tool, and converting campaign finance reports to a searchable format, all while continuously operating our office in a conservative manner. I am committed to serving Mississippians to the best of my ability, and my team and I will continue to do so in the new year!

Sharing our great year brings me a strong sense of accomplishment, but we will also wind down the next few hours with a sense of somberness. This year has been extremely challenging for far too many of us. Many of us lost family members, friends, or loved ones sooner than expected. I pray the Lord’s peace and strength will usher you into brighter days as we kickoff 2021. He has a beautiful plan for each of us, of that I am certain. May He bless you and keep you, and may His face shine upon you!

Thank you for allowing me to serve. My family and I consider it an honor and find great joy in working for all of Mississippi. From our family to yours, Happy New Year!