Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Mississippi's Lifetime Voting Ban for Convicts
TL;DR
A federal appeals court has ruled that Mississippi cannot strip the right to vote from convicts after they complete their sentences, deeming it a "cruel and unusual punishment" that disproportionately affects Black people. The court faulted a provision in Mississippi's state constitution that mandates lifetime disenfranchisement for certain crimes, stating that it violates the Eighth Amendment. The provision, adopted in 1890, was found to have a racially discriminatory aim. The ruling is seen as a major victory for those who have completed their sentences and deserve to participate fully in the political process. The decision is expected to be appealed.
Topics:top-newslegal#convicts#disenfranchisement#federal-appeals-court#legal#mississippi#voting-rights
- Mississippi cannot strip convicts of right to vote, federal appeals court rules NBC News
- Appeals Court Overturns Mississippi's Lifetime Ban on Voting for Former Felons The New York Times
- Mississippi’s Jim Crow-era voting law struck down by federal appeals court The Guardian US
- Mississippi's felony disenfranchisement law is struck down NPR
- Mississippi's Lifetime Voting Ban Struck Down At 5th Circuit Mississippi Free Press
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