Supreme Court Upholds Mississippi's Felon Voting Restrictions

The U.S. Supreme Court has opted not to intervene in Mississippi's long-standing practice of disenfranchising individuals convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent offenses. This decision maintains the state's Jim Crow-era law, which permanently removes voting rights from those who have completed their sentences. The court's inaction means that a previous ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals remains in effect, stating that permanent loss of voting rights does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment and that any changes to the law must come from the state legislature. Critics, including Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor, argue that the disenfranchisement law has discriminatory roots, disproportionately affecting Black individuals. Statistics indicate that around 58% of those disenfranchised under this law are Black, highlighting ongoing racial disparities in voting rights. The process for restoring voting rights in Mississippi remains highly restrictive, further entrenching the disenfranchisement issue.