Shuwaski Young

Shuwaski Young

Republican Party

Candidate, Mississippi Secretary of State

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 2, 2027

Education

High school

Noxapater High School

Associate

East Central Community College, 2004

Bachelor's

Jackson State University, 2007

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army National Guard

Years of service

1999 - 2003

Personal

Religion

Baptist Christian

Profession

Executive

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Shuwaski Young (Republican Party) is running for election for Mississippi Secretary of State. He declared candidacy for the 2027 election.

Young completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

On November 14, 2024, Young contacted Ballotpedia and announced his political affiliation had changed from Democrat to Republican.

Biography

Shuwaski Young was born in Mississippi. Young served in the United States Army National Guard from 1999 to 2003. He earned a high school diploma from Noxapater High School, an associate degree in business administration from East Central Community College in 2004, and a bachelor's degree in political science from Jackson State University in 2007.

Young's career experience includes working as the director of donor and community engagement with The Bar Association of San Francisco, a campaign manager with Oakland Children's Initiative, and the organizing director of the Bay Area of Northern California with the California Democratic Party. He has also worked in the Mississippi Secretary of State's office and as external engagement coordinator at the Department of Homeland Security. Young has been affiliated with the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. As of 2025, Young was affiliated with the Neshoba County Republican Executive Committee.

Elections

2027

See also: Mississippi Secretary of State election, 2027

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.

General election for Mississippi Secretary of State

Shuwaski Young is running in the general election for Mississippi Secretary of State on November 2, 2027.

		Candidate
		Shuwaski Young (R)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2023

See also: Mississippi Secretary of State election, 2023

General election

General election for Mississippi Secretary of State

Incumbent Michael D. Watson Jr. defeated Ty Pinkins in the general election for Mississippi Secretary of State on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael D. Watson Jr. (R)	59.5	481,895
		Ty Pinkins (D)	40.5	328,067

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 809,962
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Shuwaski Young (D)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Mississippi Secretary of State

Shuwaski Young advanced from the Democratic primary for Mississippi Secretary of State on August 8, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Shuwaski Young	100.0	183,120

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3	Total votes: 183,120
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Mississippi Secretary of State

Incumbent Michael D. Watson Jr. advanced from the Republican primary for Mississippi Secretary of State on August 8, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael D. Watson Jr.	100.0	351,774

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 351,774
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Young in this election.

2022

See also: Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Mississippi District 3

Incumbent Michael Guest defeated Shuwaski Young in the general election for U.S. House Mississippi District 3 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Guest (R)	70.7	132,481
		Shuwaski Young (D)	29.3	54,803

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 187,284
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 3

Incumbent Michael Guest defeated Michael Cassidy in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 3 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Guest	67.4	47,007
		Michael Cassidy	32.6	22,713

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 69,720
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 3

Shuwaski Young advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 3 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Shuwaski Young

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Rahim Talley (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 3

Incumbent Michael Guest and Michael Cassidy advanced to a runoff. They defeated Thomas Griffin in the Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 3 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Guest	47.5	23,675
✔		Michael Cassidy	46.9	23,407
		Thomas Griffin	5.6	2,785

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 49,867
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2027

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shuwaski Young completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Young's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Shuwaski Young is a Christian conservative, veteran, and fifth‑generation Mississippian whose life has been shaped by the values of faith, family, service, and hard work. Born in Meridian and raised in the close‑knit, faith‑filled communities of Noxapater and Stallo, he answered the call to serve at 17 by enlisting in the Mississippi Army National Guard. After earning a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Jackson State University, he launched a distinguished career in public service.

At the state level, Mr. Young began in the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office rising to Director of Marketing and Training where he worked under both Republican and Democratic secretaries to modernize voter outreach, strengthen election integrity and certify election commissioner training. At the federal level, he joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as External Engagement Coordinator, leading national public‑safety outreach for the “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign and forging partnerships across government, law enforcement, and the private sector.

He is a Republican because he believes in faith over fear, freedom over government control, and families over bureaucracy. As a conservative, he knows we can both secure our elections and expand business opportunity. Mr. Young serves as Secretary on the Neshoba County Republican Executive Committee and upholding Mississippi’s values while keeping our communities safe through strong law‑enforcement partnerships.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I know firsthand that we can both protect our elections and expand access for working Mississippians. I proudly support Mississippi’s voter ID law, and I also support secure, responsible early voting because our farmers, veterans, and factory workers deserve the flexibility to cast their ballots with dignity.

  Every legal vote should be counted, and only American citizens should decide American elections. I support REAL ID requirements and strong citizenship verification laws to keep our elections secure and free from unlawful interference.

  I believe every legal vote in Mississippi should be counted, and only American citizens should decide American elections. I support clean voter rolls, secure ballots, and REAL ID requirements.
• I’ve released a bold, no-nonsense crime policy because public safety is the foundation for economic success. We must fully fund law enforcement, increase officer presence in all 82 counties, and hold repeat and violent offenders accountable. I will work to: Support local and state law enforcement agencies Designate gang members as public enemy #1 Expand officer recruitment and training Prioritize enforcement in high-crime areas like Jackson, Meridian, and the Delta No business will invest in a community where its employees don’t feel safe. No child can thrive where crime runs rampant. A safe Mississippi is a prosperous Mississippi and I will never compromise on keeping our communities secure.
• This campaign isn’t about politics, it’s about purpose. I’m running for Secretary of State because I believe Mississippi is ready for strong, authentic, conservative leadership leadership that reflects our values and delivers real results.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Election Integrity & Voter Access
As a former Director of Marketing and Training at the Secretary of State’s Office, I know firsthand that we can both protect our elections and expand access for working Mississippians. I proudly support Mississippi’s voter ID law, and I also support secure, responsible early voting with my constituents approval because our farmers, veterans, and factory workers deserve the flexibility to cast their ballots with dignity.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leaders who lead with honesty, with faith, and with conviction.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Honesty and transparency are core responsibilities for public office holders.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at the Neshoba County Fair parking cars.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2023

Shuwaski Young did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Young's campaign website stated the following:

“	As Secretary of State, Shuwaski will tackle the immediate challenges in our community: Advancing Business – Protecting Taxpayers and Workers Fighting Back Against Corruption The days when Mississippi leaders let rich people steal taxpayer dollars intended to aid disadvantaged families are over. Shuwaski will hold wrongdoers accountable, repair our state’s reputation, and recover these stolen funds for Mississippians in need. Shuwaski will work with federal and state officials to hold accountable the people responsible for the largest public fraud case in Mississippi’s history. Shuwaski will work with federal and state officials to ensure taxpayer funds are properly recovered. Advancing Mississippi’s Economic Prosperity When people do well, businesses do well. Shuwaski will make Mississippi an environment for economic growth by: Supporting small business advancement Expanding workers rights through strong unions Brokering big business partnerships with Colleges and Universities Establishing corporate localized investment into Mississippi communities Expanding Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office website to ensure easy navigation and user-friendly forms Social Policy Advancing Education Investment Shuwaski’s platform focuses on pro-worker community investment, economic development, and expanding voter rights by: Create STEM school-to-career programs with state and private businesses Increase financial support to underserved communities for educational resource access Develop private, state, and local government-funded mentoring programs to support residents statewide Protecting and Advancing Voting Rights All Mississippians deserve ballot access. Shuwaski will Support restoring the ballot initiative process Support establishing: Online and automatic voter registration Early Voting Mail-in Ballots Expanding voting rights for people who are returning to society Eliminate the absentee ballot poll tax (no more notarization requirement) End ramped voter purges from registration rolls An Open Operating Standard Shuwaski will reestablish the Secretary of State’s Office reputation of being the most “user-friendly agency” in state government. The Secretary of State’s Office is answerable to the people, and the people will have simple, easy, timely access to the information, policies, procedures, and help that is rightfully theirs.	”
—Shuwaski Young's campaign website (2023)

2022

Shuwaski Young completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Young's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Shuwaski Young is a 5th-generation Mississippi native and public servant. He began a career of service by joining the Mississippi Army National Guard at age 17. Shuwaski is a proud graduate of East Central Community College and Jackson State University, where he learned under the direction of many of Mississippi’s greatest scholars and leaders. Since then, he has held leadership roles across the public and private sectors – including at the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, Obama 2012 campaign, Clinton 2016 campaign, California Democratic Party, the federal Department of Homeland Security, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Justice & Diversity Center of the San Francisco Bar Association, and more. In those roles, he’s specialized in nonprofit development, advocacy, and communications.

One of his greatest honors is his appointment by the Obama Administration to serve as External Engagement Coordinator at the federal Department of Homeland Security, where he managed and led the “If You See Something, Say Something®” campaign - a national campaign that raises public awareness of the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement.

Throughout these exceptional experiences, Shuwaski has always kept family, faith, and Mississippi at heart. He is eager to bring his professional experiences and connections to bear so that Mississippians in the Third Congressional District fi

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Help Small Businesses Hurt By COVID-19
• Advance Equal Access to High-Quality Food, Water, and Affordable Health Care
• Democracy For All: Protecting the Ballot Box

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about the following areas:

- Advanced investment for underserved communities and low-income residents
- Increased educational support for small business ownership programs and business owners, combined with priority land

  ownership opportunities

- Creation of a diversity pipeline for increased investment in STEM and Agricultural growth such as Vertical Farming
- Advanced growth opportunities for underserved communities and low-income residents, through:

  Investments in climate opportunities

- Investment in HBCU and support for legacy African American and low-income residents

-Additional funding for social advancement programs that focus on racial equity

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Young's campaign website stated the following:

“	Social Justice and Community Investments Advanced investment for underserved communities and low-income residents Additional funding for social advancement programs that focus on racial equity Support for low-income residents from underrepresented and underserved communities Increased educational support for small business ownership programs and business owners, combined with priority land ownership opportunities Increased funding for criminal justice reform through restorative justice programs and restorative justice law models Investment in HBCU and support for legacy African American and low-income residents Economic Policy Creation of a diversity pipeline for increased investment in STEM and Agricultural growth Advanced growth opportunities for underserved communities and low-income residents, through: Investments in climate opportunities Investment in conservation, agricultural land restoration, and opportunity expansion programs such as: Cannabis Production Cotton Production Timber Livestock Production Investment Programs Fish and Wildlife Investment and Replenishment	”
—Shuwaski Young's campaign website (2022)

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Shuwaski Young campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2023	Mississippi Secretary of State	Withdrew general	$18,687	$0
2022	U.S. House Mississippi District 3	Lost general	$77,359	$76,889
Grand total			$96,046	$76,889
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

See also

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Footnotes

2027 state executive official elections

Governor

Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi

Lieutenant Governor

Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi

Attorney General

Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi

Secretary of State

Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi

Treasurer

Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi

Auditor

Kentucky • Mississippi

Commissioners

Kentucky (agriculture) • Louisiana (agriculture) • Louisiana (insurance) • Mississippi (agriculture) • Mississippi (insurance) • Mississippi (public service) • Mississippi (transportation)

Education officials

Louisiana (board of education)