‘We gotta do something’: the coalition that helped elect Scott Colom to Senate

A coalition of mostly Black-led organisations helped Democrat Scott Colom secure a historic Senate victory in Mississippi, turning years of community organising into increased voter participation. Their work gained urgency after a US Supreme Court decision prompted redistricting efforts and fuelled anger over voting rights, but organisers say the groundwork had been laid over many years.

Almost one million Mississippians voted in the midterm, a turnout comparable with presidential elections and unusually high for a state where voting restrictions have contributed to below-average participation. The coalition, comprising about a dozen groups, coordinated voter registration, public education, legal strategy and get-out-the-vote efforts. Its members had previously worked together on voting access, protests, support for Jackson residents and other local campaigns.