Southeast Mississippi leaders share priorities ahead of 2026 session

Whitney Argenbright • January 5, 2026

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Decisions made at state capitols can often feel far removed from everyday life. But for small towns and rural communities, what happens during a legislative session can shape whether roads are repaved, police departments can hire officers or aging water systems can be replaced.

More than half of Mississippi’s cities and towns have populations under 5,000. These communities may not always make headlines, but they play an outsized role in the state’s economy, workforce and identity. When funding is delayed, policies shift or costs rise, small towns often feel the impact first — and most sharply — because they have fewer financial buffers.

What may look like a line item in the state budget can determine whether a town replaces a failing sewer line, builds a storm shelter or keeps pace with growth. In reporting across southeast Mississippi, local leaders consistently pointed to the same pressures: aging infrastructure, workforce challenges, storm resilience and the need for predictable funding.

That’s why the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center launched this reporting project focused on what mayors and county leaders across southeast Mississippi want from lawmakers during the 2026 legislative session.

We began this work ahead of the session because the issues local leaders raise don’t start in January. They develop over time, shaped by budgets, growth and the challenges communities face every day. Listening early allows us to explain what’s driving those priorities — and to amplify the voices of communities that are often underrepresented in statewide policy conversations.

— Whitney Argenbright, Managing Editor

Explore the project

The interactive map below brings together reporting from all ten counties included in this project.

Use the map to explore what leaders in your county are asking lawmakers to prioritize during the 2026 legislative session, compare shared concerns across the region and click through to read full county-level stories for deeper context.

How residents can help guide future reporting

This project is only a starting point.

We invite readers to share their thoughts, questions and concerns through the interactive page. Community input helps guide what we report next — whether that means digging deeper into an issue already raised, responding to something local leaders have said or highlighting a need that hasn’t yet been addressed.

Residents can also engage by attending city council or board of supervisors meetings, asking local leaders about their legislative priorities, following how state legislation affects their town’s budget or services and voting in local elections, where turnout is often low but impact is high.

Civic engagement doesn’t have to start at the Capitol. It can start with understanding how decisions are made — and voiced — in your own community.