Federal judges will decide if Mississippi can permanently strip felons of voting rights.

Mississippi residents convicted of certain felonies, including bribery, theft, and arson, lose the right to vote under the Mississippi Constitution. Advocates sued the state after the list was expanded to 22 crimes. 19 federal appellate judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments to potentially restore the right to vote to tens of thousands of people. The ban violates the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits "cruel and unusual" punishment.

January 23, 2024
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