EDITOR’S NOTE: This page is part of a comprehensive guide to state voting rights across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico.
Mississippi has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the nation, despite the gains made in the wake of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mississippi is one of only three states to impose lifelong voting bans on people convicted of certain felonies. The state’s constitution, adopted in 1890, strips voting rights from people convicted of any of 10 felonies, including forgery, arson and bigamy. A 2009 opinion from the attorney general expanded the list to 22, including…