Jackson Free Press

Reader reactions to a pair of unpaid, uncommissioned polls by political consulting firm Zata|3 have revealed an unsavory aspect of our political system: Attack the messenger, ignore the message.

Robert Johnson—the guy who doesn't do press conferences—decided this poll was a defining issue, important enough for a press conference. The polls are bogus, he declared, designed to favor one candidate and suppress voter turnout. His main complaint, though, was that the polls lumped him with "other candidates" instead of the top five, and did not expressly ask voters whether they would vote for him.

Readers complained that the poll wasn't scientific enough, wasn't representative enough of Jackson's demographics, wasn't impartial enough, wasn't based on a big enough sample, and on and on. While all of the criticisms might be true, the entire "kill the messenger" mindset is a distraction from a substantive conversation with and about the candidates and their issues.

It's a provincial, fear-based reaction to something that voters—and candidates—could use to their benefit.

Jackson has serious issues that require serious, inspired leadership. Mr. Johnson, for all his bluster, would better serve voters by holding a press conference about COMSTAT numbers and how, if elected, he will lower the crime rate in the city. If he's unhappy about not being included in the top numbers, he might ask himself why he is not included instead of complaining, or even commission his own poll and make the numbers public.

The Jackson Free Press and other media are reporting on the Zata|3 polls because they're the only poll data released to date. And while it may be true that some voters will vote for the front-runner simply to vote for a winner, that kind of thinking is harshly paternalistic and vastly over-generalized.

Polls are never more than a snapshot of public opinion. While candidates can use them for nefarious purposes, they and the voters can use them to make better decisions. Don't like the results of a poll? Change the voter's minds. Your candidate under-represented? Have him or her get to work.

Candidates in this election have an opportunity to make a change in Jackson's leadership. They should be doing everything in their power to make themselves known to voters, using every venue to hammer the planks of their platforms. Voters, too, have an opportunity to demand information and fresh ideas from candidates, instead of empty rhetoric and negativity.

We challenge Jackson's mayoral candidates to communicate with the people every day, using whatever tools available. That's how to win against a popular incumbent. We challenge Jackson's voters to demand substance from the candidates. Without this rigor, the winner will always be the fastest talker with the best 30-second sound bite.