OPINION: Legislature Plays Waiting Game on Voter & Ballot Initiative Restoration

By Rep. Kabir Karriem

Jackson Advocate Guest Writer

In the 2024 legislative session, we saw remarkable momentum towards restoring voting rights with House Bill 1609 that passed the house chamber overwhelmingly, reflecting the will of the people. But tragically, the bill died in the Senate, stifled by one individual who chose to disregard the voices of thousands of Mississippians. This session, two critical pieces of legislation—House Bill 940 and House Concurrent Resolution 3—passed out of committee but died on the calendar. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is not just a matter of policy; it is about the fundamental rights of our fellow citizens.

As of 2022, The Sentencing Project reported that approximately 9-percent of Mississippi’s eligible voting population—around 235,000 individuals—are disenfranchised. A significant portion of these individuals are Black, highlighting the systemic inequalities we must confront. We cannot allow a handful of legislators to dictate the rights of so many. The voices of the people must be heard, and their rights must be restored.

Moreover, this is the fourth consecutive year that the people of Mississippi have been denied a ballot initiative, a direct way for citizens to propose new laws or amend the state constitution. This absence leaves us in a precarious position. It is a stark reminder that democracy is not a spectator sport. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”

When the legislature fails to act on behalf of the people, the ballot initiative serves as a beacon of hope, a tool for the citizens of Mississippi to reclaim their voice. Unfortunately, due to technicalities raised by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2021, our Supermajority Republican legislature has been unable to agree on a process to restore the ballot initiative. The governor’s bullying boasts on social media have overcome further progressive action. We are now left with limited options.

For those seeking to regain their suffrage, you have two pathways: petition a legislator to file a bill, which must pass both chambers by a two-thirds vote, or request a pardon from the governor. The last gubernatorial pardon was granted in 2011. This is not just a bureaucratic challenge; it is a moral imperative.

The deadline for your legislators to submit suffrage bills on your behalf is March 3, 2025. I urge each and every one of you: contact your legislators. Make your voices heard. Demand that they act on your behalf. Remember the words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Together, we can make the impossible possible.

House Democrats have and will always be the voice for the silenced. We will continue to fight tirelessly for the right of all Mississippians to vote, regardless of their past. Our commitment to ensuring that every citizen has a seat at the table is unwavering.

Let us stand together, not just for ourselves, but for our neighbors, our families, and our future. The struggle for voting rights is far from over, and it is a battle we will win. 

Representative Kabir Karriem represents House District 41 in Lowndes County.