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H. C. R. No. 27 *HR31/R991* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
26/HR31/R991
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To: Judiciary B;
Constitution
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Banks
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 27
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 A 3
FELONY SHALL HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE SUSPENDED UPON 4
CONVICTION AND SHALL NOT HAVE HIS OR HER RIGHT TO VOTE RESTORED 5
UNTIL HE OR SHE HAS SATISFIED ALL OF THE SENTENCING REQUIREMENTS 6
OF THE CONVICTION; AND PROPOSING THE REPEAL OF SECTION 253, 7
MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE 8
LEGISLATURE MAY, BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF BOTH HOUSES, OF ALL 9
MEMBERS ELECTED, RESTORE THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE TO ANY PERSON 10
DISQUALIFIED BY REASON OF CRIME. 11
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF 12
MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendments to the Mississippi 13
Constitution of 1890 are proposed to the qualified electors of the 14
state: 15
I. 16
Amend Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read 17
as follows: 18
"Section 241. (1) Every inhabitant of this state, except 19
idiots and insane persons, shall be a qualified elector if he or 20
she is: 21
H. C. R. No. 27 *HR31/R991* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(a) * * * A citizen of the United States of 22
America * * *; 23
(b) Eighteen (18) years old and upward * * *; 24
(c) * * * A resident of this state for one (1) year, 25
and for one (1) year in the county in which he or she offers to 26
vote, and for six (6) months in the election precinct or in the 27
incorporated city or town in which he or she offers to vote * * *; 28
and 29
(d) * * * Duly registered as provided in this 30
article * * *. 31
(2) A person who is otherwise a qualified elector under the 32
provisions of subsection (1) and has been convicted of a felony 33
shall have his or her right to vote suspended upon conviction and 34
shall not have his or her right to vote restored until he or she 35
has satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the 36
conviction. 37
(3) * * * A person shall be qualified to vote for President 38
and Vice President of the United States if he or she meets the 39
requirements established by Congress therefor and is otherwise a 40
qualified elector." 41
II. 42
Amend the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 by repealing 43
Section 253, which reads as follows: 44
"Section 253. The Legislature may, by a two-thirds vote of 45
both houses, of all members elected, restore the right of suffrage 46
H. C. R. No. 27 *HR31/R991* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Constitution; amend to restore voting
rights to qualified electors who have committed
a felony once sentencing requirements are met.
to any person disqualified by reason of crime; but the reasons 47
therefor shall be spread upon the journals, and the vote shall be 48
by yeas and nays." 49
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That these proposed amendments shall 50
be submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors 51
at an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first 52
Monday of November 2026, as provided by Section 273 of the 53
Constitution and by general law, with the amendments in this 54
resolution being voted on as one (1) amendment since the proposed 55
amendments pertain to one (1) subject. 56
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed 57
amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed 58
constitutional amendment provides that a person who is otherwise a 59
qualified elector and has been convicted of a felony shall have 60
his or her right to vote suspended upon conviction and shall not 61
have his or her right to vote restored until he or she has 62
satisfied all of the sentencing requirements of the conviction." 63