Can Felons Vote in Mississippi?

Overview

Mississippi has one of the most restrictive felon voting laws in the United States. Under Article 12, Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution — adopted in 1890 with the explicit purpose of disenfranchising Black voters — people convicted of certain crimes permanently lose the right to vote. The constitution originally listed 10 disenfranchising crimes, but Attorney General opinions have expanded the list to 23 broad crime categories covering approximately 100 specific charging statutes. Not all felonies are disenfranchising: crimes like drug possession, drug sale, burglary, assault, sexual battery, kidnapping, and DUI do NOT cause loss of voting rights. Restoration requires either a Governor's pardon or a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature through an individual 'suffrage bill' — an extraordinarily difficult process. As of March 2026, approximately 70,000 Mississippians are permanently disenfranchised, with roughly 60% being Black. Multiple reform bills have died in the legislature, though a House Select Committee continues to study the issue.

Quick Answer

It depends on your specific conviction. Mississippi permanently strips voting rights only for 23 specific crime categories (including murder, rape, theft, forgery, arson, and others). If your felony is NOT on the disenfranchising list — such as drug crimes, burglary, assault, or DUI — you never lost your right to vote and can register now. If your conviction IS on the list, restoration currently requires a Governor's pardon or a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the Legislature through an individual suffrage bill.

Step-by-Step Process

Key Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a felon vote in Mississippi?

It depends entirely on the specific conviction. Mississippi only permanently disenfranchises people convicted of 23 specific crime categories in state court (including murder, rape, theft, forgery, arson, embezzlement, and others). If your felony is NOT on the list — such as drug crimes, burglary, assault, DUI, or kidnapping — you never lost your right to vote and can register now. Many people with felony records are actually eligible to vote in Mississippi but do not know it.

What are the 23 disenfranchising crimes in Mississippi?

The 23 crime categories are: (1) Murder, (2) Rape, (3) Statutory Rape, (4) Bribery, (5) Theft, (6) Arson, (7) Obtaining Money or Goods Under False Pretenses, (8) Perjury, (9) Forgery, (10) Embezzlement, (11) Bigamy, (12) Armed Robbery, (13) Robbery, (14) Extortion, (15) Felony Bad Check, (16) Felony Shoplifting, (17) Larceny, (18) Receiving Stolen Property, (19) Timber Larceny, (20) Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle, (21) Carjacking, (22) Larceny Under Lease or Rental Agreement, and (23) Voter Fraud. These 23 categories encompass approximately 100 specific charging statutes.

How can I get my voting rights restored in Mississippi?

There are only two paths: (1) Obtain a Governor's pardon — you must wait 7 years after completing your sentence, publish a newspaper notice 30 days before applying, and submit an application to the Governor. No executive pardon for voting rights has been issued since January 2012. (2) Have a state legislator introduce an individual suffrage bill on your behalf, which must pass both chambers by a two-thirds supermajority. Since 1997, only about 200 people have had rights restored through suffrage bills. Both paths are extremely difficult.

Do drug convictions affect my right to vote in Mississippi?

No. Drug possession, drug sale, drug distribution, and drug manufacturing convictions — even felony-level — are NOT disenfranchising crimes in Mississippi. If your only felony convictions are drug-related, you never lost your right to vote. You can register and vote immediately, including while on probation or parole for a drug offense.

Does a DUI conviction affect my right to vote in Mississippi?

No. DUI is not on the list of 23 disenfranchising crimes. Even a felony DUI conviction (third or subsequent offense) does not remove your voting rights in Mississippi. You can register and vote.

How many people are disenfranchised in Mississippi?

As of 2024–2026, approximately 70,000 Mississippians are permanently disenfranchised due to felony convictions — over 3% of the state's voting-age population. Roughly 44,000 (about 60%) are Black, meaning over 5% of Black voting-age residents cannot vote. Nearly 30,000 of those disenfranchised have fully completed their sentences but remain permanently barred from the polls.

Why does Mississippi's felon voting law exist?

Mississippi's felon disenfranchisement provision (Section 241) was adopted at the 1890 constitutional convention, where the convention president declared: 'We came here to exclude the Negro. Nothing short of this will answer.' The crimes chosen for the list were specifically selected because they were believed to be committed more often by Black people — property crimes like theft, forgery, and bigamy were included, while violent crimes like murder and assault were initially excluded. Burglary was removed in 1950 when it was no longer associated with Black defendants. Murder and rape were not added until 1968.

What happens if I try to vote while disenfranchised?

Attempting to register or vote while disenfranchised is a crime in Mississippi. However, many people are incorrectly listed as disenfranchised or wrongly believe they cannot vote. Before assuming you are ineligible, verify your specific conviction against the 23 disenfranchising crime categories by contacting MS Votes (1-833-678-4321) or the Secretary of State's Elections Answerline (1-800-829-6786).

Does a federal conviction affect my right to vote in Mississippi?

No. Mississippi's disenfranchisement only applies to convictions in Mississippi state courts. A federal conviction — even for a crime that matches a disenfranchising category (e.g., federal fraud, federal embezzlement) — does not trigger loss of voting rights in Mississippi. Similarly, convictions from other states do not affect your Mississippi voting rights.

What is a suffrage bill?

A suffrage bill is an individual piece of legislation introduced by a Mississippi state lawmaker on behalf of a single disenfranchised person. The bill must pass both the House and Senate by a two-thirds supermajority vote. If the Governor does not veto it, the person's voting rights are restored. The process is extremely burdensome: it requires finding a lawmaker willing to sponsor the bill, navigating the full legislative process, and securing supermajority approval. In the 2024 session, the Legislature approved 21 individual suffrage bills, though 4 were vetoed by Governor Reeves.

Are there any reform efforts underway?

Yes. In 2024, the Mississippi House passed HB 1609 by a bipartisan 96-11 vote, which would have automatically restored voting rights for nonviolent disenfranchising felonies after sentence completion and a five-year waiting period, but the bill died in the Senate. A House Select Committee on voting rights was formed in 2025 and is studying reform options. As of March 2026, multiple reform measures were introduced but all died in the 2026 session. There is broad bipartisan support in the House for automatic restoration for nonviolent offenses, but the Senate has repeatedly blocked these efforts.