In Mississippi, most voters will have no choice about who represents them in the Legislature

By DAVID A. LIEB and EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Most voters in Mississippi will have no choice this year when it comes to who represents them in the state House and Senate. That’s because the vast majority of Republicans and Democrats running for the Legislature face no major-party opposition in the Nov. 7 election. The situation in Mississippi is more extreme than in most states but highlights a general national trend of uncontested elections for state legislatures. New research shows that lopsided legislative majorities are among the things contributing to a dwindling number of contested races over the past few decades.