The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently heard oral arguments in a case challenging a Mississippi felon voter disenfranchisement law, Dennis Hopkins v. Secretary of State Michael Watson.
The lawsuit, initiated in 2018 by lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of convicted felons in Mississippi such as Dennis Hopkins, contests a law sectioned under the Mississippi Constitution that permanently revokes voting rights from individuals convicted of specific felonies such as timber theft, forgery, bribery, and arson. Critics argue that this law was strategically crafted in 1890 with the primary objective of denying Black men the right to vote.
However, supporters of the law uphold that it represents the people’s right to exclude those who’ve shown indifference to law and order from partaking in the state’s discussions on potential legislation. The argument against disenfranchisement, led by lawyer Jon Youngwood, emphasizes the punitive and arbitrary nature of the law, specifically with respect to the selection of crimes warranting a voting ban.
Earlier in August 2023, a three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit declared the law invalid, citing a “national consensus” against lifetime voting bans. However, the decision was later overturned, and a rehearing was granted before the full 17-member bench.
No timeline for the decision has been announced as of yet.