Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Mississippi's Jim Crow-Era Voting Law and Lifetime Ban on Voting for Former Felons

A federal appeals court has ruled that Mississippi's Jim Crow-era policy of permanently revoking voting rights from certain individuals with felony convictions is unconstitutional. The law, which denied a higher percentage of residents the right to vote than any other state, disproportionately affected Black voters. The court found that the policy serves no penological purpose and is a cruel and unusual punishment. The only way for individuals to restore their rights was through a nearly impossible discretionary scheme. The ruling highlights Mississippi as an outlier among states that have moved away from permanent disenfranchisement. The lawsuit was brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of individuals who lost their voting rights due to felony convictions.