The Power of Mississippi's 50-Plus Voter

Voters age 50 and older were the deciding factor in last year’s midterm elections, according to the National Election Pool Exit Poll results. The findings confirmed that 50-plus voters made up the majority of voters at 61% in Mississippi and 56 percent nationally.

Older voters held candidates accountable for not finding common ground on the issues that matter to them and their families. What they care about here in Mississippi is health care, and they made their voices heard last year. Exit polling found that 42% of older voters in Mississippi cited health care as the most important issue facing the country over other issues such as immigration, gun policy and the economy.

Older voters remain concerned about health care including pre-existing conditions, the cost of prescription medications, and the future of Medicare. A majority of older voters, 63% in Mississippi, say the health care system in the United States needs major changes. But older voters also understand that complex issues require thoughtful, bipartisan solutions. For them, putting aside partisan bickering and forging a consensus is the only way forward.

Elected officials are wise to act on the issues important to older voters in Mississippi. Just as they did last year, elected officials can count on older voters showing up in force in the next election – and every election.