The votes have been cast, and it is time now to turn to the pressing issues for Adams County and Mississippi.

While political pundits pore over poll results to determine who voted and why they voted and where they voted, the candidates who won &045;&045; and the officials who have two more months to serve &045;&045; need to focus their attention on our needs.

We hope candidates &045;&045; and their supporters &045;&045; who did not win their races will be gracious and eager to continue working toward improving life for our county and its residents.

In particular, we’re eager to see how the new members of the Adams County Board of Supervisors bring new ideas to the table to mix with the experienced leadership we already have. The members of the board who will be leaving still have much to contribute in their final days of leadership.

In Mississippi, we hope the current leadership will work with the incoming administration to ensure a smooth transition of power.

Four years ago the uncertainty over who would be governor prevented a smooth transfer, but we have an opportunity now to look toward Mississippi’s future with a better plan for success with the new leadership.

Most important, though, we hope the future for southwest Mississippi is bright with our new leadership in place.