Speaker White asks GOP leaders to explore restoration of voting rights to some people convicted of felonies by Taylor Vance, Mississippi Today February 7, 2024 Top leaders in the Mississippi House are in the early stages of crafting a pathway for some people convicted of disenfranchising felonies to have their voting rights restored — the first such effort at the Capitol in more than a decade.
Not all ex-felons are barred from voting in Mississippi, but no one is telling them that For someone to have their suffrage restored, a lawmaker has to introduce a bill on their behalf, and two-thirds of lawmakers in both legislative chambers must agree to it. A person can also seek a gubernatorial pardon, though no executive pardon has been handed down since Gov. Haley Barbour’s final days in office in 2011.
AG Lynn Fitch to federal court: Mississippi law to prevent Black people voting was not punitive Legislative efforts to reform the disenfranchisement law face an uphill battle. Changes to the state constitution bypass the governor, but they require approval by two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate — the highest legislative threshold requirement on the books. Then, if lawmakers pass the measure, a majority of voters must approve the change on a statewide ballot. Rep.