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H. C. R. No. 23 *HR31/R967* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
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To: Judiciary B;
Constitution
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Anderson (110th)
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 23
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
241, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON 2
WHO IS OTHERWISE A QUALIFIED ELECTOR AND HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF 3
VOTER FRAUD, BRIBERY, THEFT, ARSON, OBTAINING MONEY OR GOODS UNDER 4
FALSE PRETENSE, PERJURY, FORGERY, EMBEZZLEMENT, BIGAMY OR ANY 5
CRIME INTERPRETED AS DISENFRANCHISING IN LATER ATTORNEY GENERAL 6
OPINIONS EXCEPT FOR MURDER AND RAPE SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO 7
VOTE SUSPENDED UPON CONVICTION AND SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO 8
VOTE RESTORED ONCE HE OR SHE HAS SATISFIED ALL OF THE SENTENCING 9
REQUIREMENTS OF THE CONVICTION; AND PROPOSING THE REPEAL OF 10
SECTION 253, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, WHICH PROVIDES THAT 11
THE LEGISLATURE MAY, BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF BOTH HOUSES, OF ALL 12
MEMBERS ELECTED, RESTORE THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE TO ANY PERSON 13
DISQUALIFIED BY REASON OF CRIME. 14
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF 15
MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendments to the Mississippi 16
Constitution of 1890 are proposed to the qualified electors of the 17
state: 18
I. 19
Amend Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read 20
as follows: 21
"Section 241. (1) Except as otherwise provided in 22
subsection (2), every inhabitant of this state, except idiots and 23
insane persons, shall be a qualified elector if he or she is: 24
H. C. R. No. 23 *HR31/R967* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(a) * * * A citizen of the United States of 25
America * * *; 26
(b) Eighteen (18) years old and upward * * *; 27
(c) * * * A resident of this state for one (1) year, 28
and for one (1) year in the county in which he or she offers to 29
vote, and for six (6) months in the election precinct or in the 30
incorporated city or town in which he or she offers to vote * * *; 31
(d) * * * Duly registered as provided in this 32
article * * *; and 33
(e) Never been convicted of murder * * * or rape * * *. 34
(2) A person who is otherwise a qualified elector under the 35
provisions of subsection (1) and has been convicted of voter 36
fraud, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false 37
pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, bigamy or any crime 38
interpreted as disenfranchising in later Attorney General opinions 39
except for murder and rape shall have his or her right to vote 40
suspended upon conviction and shall have his or her right to vote 41
automatically restored once he or she has satisfied all of the 42
sentencing requirements of the conviction including parole but not 43
probation. 44
(3) * * * A person shall be qualified to vote for President 45
and Vice President of the United States if he or she meets the 46
requirements established by Congress therefor and is otherwise a 47
qualified elector." 48
II. 49
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ST: Constitution; amend to restore voting
rights to certain qualified electors once
meeting sentencing requirements.
Amend the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 by repealing 50
Section 253, which reads as follows: 51
"Section 253. The Legislature may, by a two-thirds vote of 52
both houses, of all members elected, restore the right of suffrage 53
to any person disqualified by reason of crime; but the reasons 54
therefor shall be spread upon the journals, and the vote shall be 55
by yeas and nays." 56
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That these proposed amendments shall 57
be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors 58
at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first 59
Monday of November 2026, as provided by Section 273 of the 60
Constitution and by general law, with the amendments in this 61
resolution being voted on as one (1) amendment since the proposed 62
amendments pertain to one (1) subject. 63
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed 64
amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed 65
constitutional amendment provides that a qualified elector who has 66
been convicted of voter fraud, bribery, theft, arson, obtaining 67
money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, 68
embezzlement, bigamy or any crime interpreted as disenfranchising 69
in Attorney General opinions except for murder and rape shall have 70
his right to vote suspended upon conviction and shall have his 71
right to vote restored once he has satisfied all of the sentencing 72
requirements of the conviction." 73