Mississippi has an opportunity to build a better future for our state by reversing our high rates of mass incarceration and voter disenfranchisement. MS Votes and OneVoice are committed to making that opportunity a reality.
Felony disenfranchisement is a process in which a state robs a person of their right to vote when they are convicted of a felony. In Mississippi, there are 23 specific felonies that cause people to lose their right to vote. Felony disenfranchisement is a legacy of the Jim Crow-era. In 1890, when white lawmakers wrote the state’s constitution, they intentionally created laws to reduce the political power of Black people. They disenfranchised residents for crimes more likely to be committed by Freedmen. As a result, a Mississippian could lose their right to vote for timber theft (disproportionately committed by Blacks), but not murder, (a crime more likely to be committed by whites)
Today, advocacy and civil rights organizations like One Voice and Mississippi Votes are organizing to overturn these laws and ensure the voting rights of the formerly incarcerated are automatically restored upon the completion of their prison term.
You can learn more about how Mississippi’s mass incarceration problems harm communities across the state, especially Black and Brown communities. Read Our Voices, Our Votes: Felony Disenfranchisement and Reentry in Mississippi.
Get involved in our campaign work. Visit our websites to learn more about our upcoming work. Follow us on social media!
1072 W Lynch Street, Suite 7
Jackson, MS 39203
(601) 960-9594
While the process of regaining your voting rights may seem intimidating, One Voice and Mississippi Votes are committed to helping you through the process. Get started by completing the form below. Have questions? Get live support by calling our rights restoration hotline: 1-888-601-VOTE (8683).
