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U.S. Fifth Circuit Upholds Mississippi Felon Voting Ban in 13-6 Vote

Jul 18, 2024, 06:05 PM

The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 13-6 en banc decision, has upheld Mississippi's lifetime voting ban on individuals convicted of certain felonies. This ruling overturns a previous decision by a three-judge panel that found the ban to be in violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The case, Hopkins v. Hosemann, also referred to as Hopkins v. Watson, challenged the constitutionality of the state's disenfranchisement law, which critics have labeled as 'draconian.' This decision reaffirms the state's authority to impose lifetime voting bans on convicted felons.