Attorneys are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to abolish Mississippi’s long-standing practice of stripping voting rights from individuals convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes like forgery and timber theft. Critics argue this policy, originating from the Jim Crow era, disenfranchises thousands for life, with limited pathways to restore ballot access.
“Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys advocating for affected individuals stated in a Wednesday appeal. They emphasized that other states “have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.”
This legal challenge is the third since the late 19th century—and the second in recent years—seeking to overturn Mississippi’s disenfranchisement policies. While the Supreme Court rejected a similar case in 2023, this new appeal challenges a ruling by the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that legislative changes to the law are the responsibility of Mississippi lawmakers, not the courts.
