Mississippi’s long history of voter suppression has created widespread voter fatigue among Black residents in a state where they account for nearly 40% of the population

A few years ago, Tiffany Wilburn just didn’t see the point in voting any longer.

Her children didn’t have proper school books, health insurance was expensive and hard to get, police abuse continued against Black residents, and her city’s struggle to get clean drinking water seemed emblematic of her community always coming out on the short end of state decision-making.

Combine that with Mississippi’s long history of voter suppression and she felt casting a ballot was simply a hopeless exercise.