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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HC4 • 2026

Constitution; amend to provide that no individual who has been convicted of a felony is not a qualified elector.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 241, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO PROVIDE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF ANY FELONY IS NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTOR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Crime Elections
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Arnold
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
No Effecti

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify a date for when the amendment would be voted on by the public, if it were to move forward.

Amending Voting Rights in Mississippi

The bill proposes to change the Mississippi Constitution so that people convicted of felonies cannot vote.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890.
  • Adds a rule stating that anyone who has been found guilty of a felony is not allowed to be a voter.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People convicted of felonies
  • Mississippi voters

Terms To Know

felony
A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence of more than one year.
qualified elector
Someone who is allowed by law to vote in elections.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in committee.
  • It does not specify what happens if someone's felony conviction is later removed or pardoned.
  • There is no information on when the amendment would be voted on by the people, if it were to move forward.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/07 (H) Referred To Constitution

Official Summary Text

Constitution; amend to provide that no individual who has been convicted of a felony is not a qualified elector.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. C. R. No. 4 *HR43/R1320* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
26/HR43/R1320
PAGE 1 (MCL\KP)

To: Constitution
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Arnold

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
241, MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890, TO PROVIDE THAT AN 2
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF ANY FELONY IS NOT A QUALIFIED 3
ELECTOR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 4
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF 5
MISSISSIPPI, That the following amendment to the Mississippi 6
Constitution of 1890 is proposed to the qualified electors of the 7
state: 8
Amend Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, to read 9
as follows: 10
"Section 241. Every inhabitant of this state, except idiots 11
and insane persons, who is a citizen of the United States of 12
America, eighteen (18) years old and upward, who has been a 13
resident of this state for one (1) year, and for one (1) year in 14
the county in which he offers to vote, and for six (6) months in 15
the election precinct or in the incorporated city or town in which 16
he offers to vote, and who is duly registered as provided in this 17
article, and who has never been convicted of murder, rape, 18
bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false 19
H. C. R. No. 4 *HR43/R1320* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1320
PAGE 2 (MCL\KP)
ST: Constitution; amend to provide that no
individual who has been convicted of a felony is
not a qualified elector.
pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement * * *, bigamy, or any 20
other felony, is declared to be a qualified elector, except that 21
he shall be qualified to vote for President and Vice President of 22
the United States if he meets the requirements established by 23
Congress therefor and is otherwise a qualified elector." 24
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this proposed amendment shall be 25
submitted by the Secretary of State to the qualified electors at 26
an election to be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday 27
of November 2026, as provided by Section 273 of the Constitution 28
and by general law. 29
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the explanation of this proposed 30
amendment for the ballot shall read as follows: "This proposed 31
constitutional amendment provides that an individual who has been 32
convicted of any felony is not a qualified elector." 33