08 Aug MCJ Applauds Fifth Circuit Court Decision to Overturn Lifetime Voter Disenfranchisement

MCJ Applauds Fifth Circuit Court Decision to Overturn Lifetime Voter Disenfranchisement

A Message from Vangela M. Wade, President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Justice.

Mississippi’s lifetime ban on voting for people convicted of certain felonies has finally been struck down. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently ruled that the ban is a cruel and unusual punishment and violates the Eight Amendment of the Constitution. 

Mississippi Center for Justice congratulates the plaintiffs in the case, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and their co-counsel, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, LLP, for this enormous victory on behalf of all Mississippians. This is a tremendous win for our state, our country, and the thousands of Mississippians who, for too long, have been denied the precious right to vote – one of the true hallmarks of American citizenship.

While more must be done, today’s decision moves Mississippi closer to achieving the notion that every vote counts. Hope is in the air, thanks to the tireless efforts of communities of nonprofit organizations and pro bono law firms continuing to work together across Mississippi and this country to hold the government hold government accountable. What we know for sure is that the fight for justice still requires each and every one of us. 

Onward.