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SB2583 • 2026

Suffrage; provide for restoration upon completion of sentence and other conditions.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO WAS DISQUALIFIED AS AN ELECTOR FOR THE COMMISSION OF CERTAIN CRIMES SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE RESTORED AUTOMATICALLY UPON COMPLETION OF THE SENTENCE AND FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR WAITING PERIOD; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY; 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
Norwood
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and its provisions are not currently in effect.

Restoration of Voting Rights Act

This bill would automatically restore voting rights to individuals who have completed their sentences for certain crimes and remained crime-free for two years after completing those sentences.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Restoration of Voting Rights Act, which restores voting rights to individuals who were disqualified from voting due to certain criminal convictions.
  • Requires that a person's right to vote is automatically restored once they complete their sentence and remain free of crime or arrest for two years after completing it.
  • Amends Section 23-15-11 of the Mississippi Code to ensure that people who have completed all conditions of their sentences are not disqualified from voting due to past convictions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who were disqualified from voting due to certain criminal convictions and have completed their sentences.
  • Local election officials responsible for registering individuals whose voting rights are restored under this act.

Terms To Know

Disenfranchisement
The loss of the right to vote, often as a result of a criminal conviction.
Sentence
The punishment given by a court for someone who has been found guilty of breaking the law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass and therefore its provisions are not currently in effect.
  • It does not specify which crimes result in disenfranchisement, only that voting rights will be restored after completion of sentences for certain crimes.
  • The bill's impact on specific individuals depends on the details of their criminal history and compliance with all conditions.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Elections

Official Summary Text

Suffrage; provide for restoration upon completion of sentence and other conditions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2583 *SS08/R396* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G2/3
26/SS08/R396
PAGE 1 (ab\kr)

To: Elections
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Norwood

SENATE BILL NO. 2583

AN ACT TO CREATE THE RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT; TO 1
PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO WAS DISQUALIFIED AS AN ELECTOR FOR THE 2
COMMISSION OF CERTAIN CRIMES SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE RESTORED 3
AUTOMATICALLY UPON COMPLETION OF THE SENTENCE AND FOLLOWING A 4
TWO-YEAR WAITING PERIOD; TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-11, MISSISSIPPI 5
CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 6
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 7
SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited 8
as the "Restoration of Voting Rights Act." 9
(2) (a) Except as provided by Section 99-19-37, any person 10
who has lost the right of suffrage under Section 241 of the 11
Mississippi Constitution of 1890, or under any statute enacted by 12
the Legislature under Section 244A of the Mississippi Constitution 13
of 1890, shall automatically be restored suffrage only when that 14
person has fully completed all terms of prison, parole, probation 15
or supervision and has remained crime- and arrest-free in the 16
two-year period following the full completion his or her of 17
sentence and any term of prison, parole, probation or supervision. 18
At that time the person's right to vote shall be restored by 19
operation of law as though an act had been passed by the 20
S. B. No. 2583 *SS08/R396* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R396
PAGE 2 (ab\kr)

Legislature in accordance with Section 253 of the Mississippi 21
Constitution of 1890 restoring the right of suffrage to the 22
person. 23
(b) If a person whose suffrage has been restored under 24
this act shall appear in the registrar's office to register as a 25
qualified elector, the person's name shall be entered on the 26
pollbooks if the person is otherwise a qualified elector. 27
SECTION 2. Section 23-15-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 28
amended as follows: 29
23-15-11. (1) Every inhabitant of this state, except 30
persons adjudicated to be non compos mentis, who is a citizen of 31
the United States of America, eighteen (18) years old and upwards, 32
who has resided in this state for thirty (30) days and for thirty 33
(30) days in the county in which he or she seeks to vote, and for 34
thirty (30) days in the incorporated municipality in which he or 35
she seeks to vote, and who has been duly registered as an elector 36
under Section 23-15-33, and who has never been convicted of vote 37
fraud, or any other crime for which disenfranchisement has been 38
prescribed by the Legislature under Section 244A, Mississippi 39
Constitution of 1890, or of any crime listed in Section 241, 40
Mississippi Constitution of 1890, shall be a qualified elector in 41
and for the county, municipality and voting precinct of his or her 42
residence, and shall be entitled to vote at any election upon 43
compliance with Section 23-15-563. If the thirtieth day to 44
register before an election falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, 45
S. B. No. 2583 *SS08/R396* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R396
PAGE 3 (ab\kr)
ST: Suffrage; provide for restoration upon
completion of sentence and other conditions.
the registration applications submitted on the business day 46
immediately following the Sunday or legal holiday shall be 47
accepted and entered in the Statewide Elections Management System 48
for the purpose of enabling voters to vote in the next election. 49
Any person who will be eighteen (18) years of age or older on or 50
before the date of the general election and who is duly registered 51
to vote not less than thirty (30) days before the primary election 52
associated with the general election, may vote in the primary 53
election even though the person has not reached his or her 54
eighteenth birthday at the time that the person seeks to vote at 55
the primary election. No others than those specified in this 56
section shall be entitled, or shall be allowed, to vote at any 57
election. 58
(2) If a person, convicted of a crime for which 59
disenfranchisement has been prescribed by the Mississippi 60
Constitution of 1890 or by statute, has completed all the 61
conditions of his or her sentence and is eligible to vote under 62
the provisions of Section 1 of this act, the person shall not be 63
disqualified as an elector due to the conviction. 64
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 65
and after July 1, 2026. 66