The Mississippi State University Department of Political Science and Public Administration held the 2010 Elections Panel Discussion in Mitchell Memorial Library auditorium on Wednesday.
The panel consisted of three MSU educators: Marty Wiseman, professor of political science and director of the Stennis Institute of Government, Rob Mellen, assistant professor of political science, and Whit Waide, instructor of political science.
The panel also included Sen. Terry Burton of District 31 of the Mississippi Legislature. Burton is the chairman of the Joint Legislative Redistricting Committee.
Topics covered include United States mid-term elections, gubernatorial and state legislative elections, as well as reappointment of Congress and redistricting in Mississippi.
Mellen, whose research includes mid-term elections, said it was his idea to have the panel discussion.
“Mid-term elections are important,” he said. “[Americans] hear a lot of stuff on TV, but [the question is] ‘why?'”
Mellen said he hoped the panel would give an explanation of mid-term elections in terms of the national picture.
“[Mid-term elections] are important because it is a census year,” he said. “Redistricting and reapportionment shape the political map for a decade.”
Waide said the panel was important because it provided valid insight into an important subject area.
“I want students to become more aware of the world around them,” he said. “They need to understand what politicians are supposed to do to know when they fail.”
Wiseman said Barbour has been involved in every single one of the 37 gubernatorial races to occur this year and was called the most powerful Republican in the United States. 
He also said the Congressional races in the 1st and 4th Districts would be interesting. Travis Childers, Democratic incumbent, faces Republican Alan Nunnelee in the 1st District.Gene Taylor, Democratic incumbent who has been in office in the 4th District for about 20 years, faces Republican Steven Palazzo.
Mellen focused mainly on the mid-term elections. He said he expects the Republicans to do well for four reasons: presidential current unpopularity, structure of Congressional districts, mood of the electorate and independent expenditures.
Burton said in Mississippi, the House and the Senate draw their own versions of U.S. Congressional districts, but both the House and the Senate must approve the same map. He also said the redistricting must meet federal laws.
“It’s not as easy as it seems,” he said. “There are great challenges with [redistricting] District 1 and District 2.”
He said he hopes to get the figures from the US census by Feb. 7, 2011, and to get a resolution on the floor by March 10 to have elections on time. Burton said he urges students to vote.
“I lost my first election by two votes,” he said. “Every vote counts.”
Cindy Boyett, senior history and political science double major, said the panel discussion was interesting.
“I liked how Dr. Mellen used statistics in his predictions and also the variety in the opinions of the speakers,” she said.
Holly Jackson, junior history major, said she really enjoyed the panel and it did a good job.
“It was informative,” she said. “I like that there was not so much bias and that they pushed the importance of voting.”
Brad Dickerson, graduate student of political science, said he thought the panel discussion was intriguing.
“It was interesting to see the different perspectives to elections and how they will affect public policy,” he said. “It was also helpful to have someone there besides just the professors.  The senator added much to the topics.”
Wiseman said he felt as though politics have changed in past decades.
“It is all getting too personal,” he said. “It is no longer about ideas but about wanting to make a loser of those whose ideas are differing.”
Waide said it was important to get involved.
“The 18-through-35 age group is famously slothful of getting to the polls and getting involved,” he said. “[This panel discussion] gave students direct access to learn about how society is engineered. It’s absolutely valuable.”