Jimmy Giles Answers the Candidate Questionnaire

1. What does Section 5 require of a governor in practice?

Section 5 requires the governor to recognize that governmental power belongs to the people. The governor is their representative—not their ruler. In practice, this means respecting lawful elections, protecting constitutional rights, maintaining open government and never using public office to substitute the will of politicians for the will of the people.

2. When voters conflict with officials, parties, lobbyists or major financial interests, whose decision should control?

The decision of the people must control. Political parties, lobbyists and financial interests possess no authority superior to that of Mississippi voters.

3. Will you oppose governmental action that disregards a clear statewide vote?

Yes. A public official does not acquire the right to nullify the people's decision merely by winning an election.

4. Did the 2001 vote deserve to be honored until the people chose otherwise?

Yes. Mississippi voters were presented with two flags and chose the historic state flag. Their decision was entitled to respect unless and until they reversed it in another fair election.

5. Did the Legislature act properly in 2020 by retiring the historic flag without first presenting the choice to voters?

No. The Legislature overturned the result of the 2001 referendum without giving voters an opportunity to defend their previous decision.

6. Was the November 2020 flag ballot a complete and fair choice?

No. The historic flag had already been removed and was legally excluded from consideration. Voters could approve one commission-selected replacement or wait for the commission to produce another replacement. They could not vote to retain or restore the flag they selected in 2001.

7. Do you support a binding referendum between the historic 1894 flag and the present flag?

Yes. Both flags should appear on the ballot, and every qualified Mississippi voter should receive an equal opportunity to choose between them.

8. Would you respect the outcome regardless of which flag prevailed?

Yes. I support the historic flag, but Section 5 requires me to respect the people's decision even if the result is contrary to my personal preference.

9. Will you support restoring a workable citizen initiative process?

Yes. Mississippi citizens must again possess an effective means of proposing and voting upon constitutional amendments.

10. What safeguards and requirements would you support?

The requirements should demonstrate substantial public support without demanding a statewide political organization or enormous financial resources. The system should include:

• A reasonable signature threshold.
• Geographic distribution based upon Mississippi's current political districts.
• Clear, uniform instructions for petitioners and circuit clerks.
• Publicly available verification standards.
• A reasonable opportunity to correct technical defects.
• Judicial review capable of producing a decision before ballots must be printed.
• Protection against retroactive rule changes after signatures have been collected.

The process must protect election integrity without becoming a procedural trap designed to defeat citizen initiatives.

11. Should officials be allowed to keep a valid initiative off the ballot because they oppose its subject?

No. Officials may enforce constitutional procedural requirements, but they should not manipulate those requirements to suppress a valid proposal they politically oppose.

12. Do Mississippi's laws provide independent and minor-party candidates with a fair opportunity to qualify?

Not reliably. A right that can be defeated by unclear instructions, inconsistent county practices or correctable technicalities is not a secure right.

13. Will you support clear and uniform petition rules?

Yes. The Secretary of State should publish one authoritative set of instructions governing petition forms, voter eligibility, county separation, certification and filing deadlines. Candidates should be entitled to rely upon those instructions.

14. Should sufficient valid signatures be defeated by a correctable technical defect?

No. A candidate who has demonstrated the required voter support should receive notice of a correctable defect and a reasonable opportunity to cure it. Ballot access should be determined by substantial compliance and legitimate voter support—not procedural gamesmanship.

15. What will you do to protect the right to trial by jury?

I will oppose laws and governmental practices that make the constitutional right to a jury merely theoretical. Courts exist to resolve disputes on their merits, and juries are an essential safeguard against concentrated governmental and institutional power.

16. Should citizens representing themselves receive a meaningful opportunity to be heard?

Yes. Courts must apply the law fairly, but they should not use unnecessary procedural barriers to prevent an unrepresented citizen's legitimate claim from ever being considered on its merits.

17. Will you support greater access to court and government records?

Yes. Court opinions, dockets, public filings, legislative proceedings and government records should be readily searchable and available electronically, subject only to legitimate privacy, security and confidentiality protections.

18. Will you disclose who participates in developing major policies?

Yes. The public should know which lobbyists, donors and organizations are attempting to influence executive policy and proposed legislation.

19. Will you publish your official calendar?

Yes, subject to legitimate security, personnel and personal-privacy limitations. Mississippians should be able to determine who receives access to their governor.

20. Will you support a public record of substantive communications with registered lobbyists?

Yes. Substantive communications between registered lobbyists and the governor's office concerning legislation or major public policy should be documented and available for public inspection.

21. Will you refuse assistance that creates an obligation contrary to the public interest?

Yes. No contribution, endorsement, favor or political alliance should purchase control over a governor's judgment.

22. Identify an action by your party or political allies that you believe was wrong.

I am an independent candidate and therefore have no political party whose conduct I am obligated to defend.

Nevertheless, I believe organizations and individuals claiming to support Mississippi's historic state flag are wrong when they refuse even to acknowledge or fairly consider a qualifying candidate who openly and consistently supports their stated cause. Loyalty to personalities, parties or political insiders should never take precedence over the principles an organization professes to defend.

23. When have you placed principle above political advantage?

I have defended Mississippi's historic state flag and political speech for decades through public advocacy, demonstrations and litigation. Those efforts brought criticism, expense and personal consequences. They did not bring political advantage.

I continued because a principle has no value if it is defended only when doing so is easy, popular or profitable.

24. What position would you maintain even if it cost you the election?

The sovereignty of the people.

Section 5 means that the people's lawful decision must be respected even when I personally disagree with it. I will not abandon that principle to gain an endorsement, contribution, political advantage or public office.

25. If voters reject one of your principal policies, will you respect their judgment?

Yes. I may continue advocating my position and asking voters to reconsider it through lawful democratic means, but I will not attempt to circumvent or nullify their decision.