How Miss Mississippi and election nights are the same

Published 3:20 pm Friday, November 8, 2019

There is a first for everything, and on Tuesday, I helped cover an election.

I wasn’t sure what to expect since I have never helped cover one, and I have to admit that it was a bit nerve-racking.

The closest thing I could compare it to is covering the Miss Mississippi Pageant. It, too, has its stressful moments.

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I have to scurry up on stage, wait for Maggie Wade to do her live interview, and then grab a few quotes from the winners.

I am always nervous doing this since the winning contestants speak faster than I can write.

Yes, I take a recorder, but that too can make things complicated.

I’m standing there with pen and pad and writing, all while trying to make sure the recorder is on.

In trying to maneuver this minutiae, I recall the days when the children were small and I had to carry them around. I always said mothers should have three arms. I guess that could go for reporters, too.

Once situated, I begin asking my questions while hoping the recorder is close enough to pick up the conversation. Most times it is, but the only problem is I also pick up the background noise from the surrounding excitement.

Unfortunately, when this happens it can take up to a dozen times of playing back the recorder so I can make out what a contestant said.

Then there is the pressure of trying to get my story flipped in time.

Without a doubt, working on deadline has been the most taxing aspect of my job, and on Tuesday, the pressure was on. It was all hands on deck, and we even had a student intern working with us for the first time that night.

Years ago, before all the new technology, the newsroom would have just been focused on getting print copy out. Now, we also post to our website and social media. This adds even more stress since folks nowadays like their news sooner than hot off the press.

And in the mix of gathering this information and getting it out to the public, we still make sure to fact check before we share it.

I was happy to have a young person in our midst that night, since I am not the most proficient when it comes to social media.

My job was to hang at the office with the editor and wait for the reporter to call in from the courthouse with vote counts. Once the editor got the numbers, he would post them to a spreadsheet where we could tabulate which precincts had reported.

The intern, along with our publisher, would then get the updates out on our website and social media.

Our photographer was on duty, too. He was busy snapping pictures of the candidates who were hoping and praying the results would be in their favor.

My job, once a winner was declared, was to call him or her for quotes.

Once again, like at the pageant, I felt the jitters. I knew these candidates would be like the contestants, excited and talking fast. However, unlike covering the pageant, I got to work from a desk.

I wonder if the Miss Mississippi Pageant Board would consider setting up a desk on stage following the preliminary wins and crowning for me to use?

On Tuesday, I was also tasked with trying to reach those who did not win. I was a bit nervous about this job not knowing how they would feel or what they would say after a loss. Fortunately, the one candidate I was able to reach showed nothing but integrity.  

Now that the election has come and gone, I can say I am glad I had the opportunity for this experience.

Not only was it a pleasure to be part of a team with my co-workers, it gave me the chance to see the election process from a different perspective.

 

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. She can be reached at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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