With the next election quickly approaching, registered voters may assume they need only show up at their normal polling locations with IDs in tow. 

If only it were that simple.

The reality is that for many of us, the right to vote is a never-ending question mark, especially in Mississippi, which has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the nation, making it the second most difficult state in which to vote.

The challenges are abundant: voter I.D. laws, voter purging, voter suppression, polling place closures and consolidation, gerrymandering, and disenfranchisement. 

That’s why, as Black Mississippians, it’s critical that we know our voting status long before election day. 

Though more than 120 election-related bills were introduced during the 2023 legislative session, state lawmakers made voting rights even more restrictive than they already were, killing bills introduced to authorize early voting, allow online and same-day voter registration, restore voting rights to convicted felons, and reinstate or amend the ballot initiative process. 

Interestingly, what legislators did approve in 2023 were restrictive laws, making it easier to purge voters from the rolls and deter the vulnerable population from exercising their right to vote. 

• House Bill 1310 is a voting purge law that gives the Secretary of State’s office the power to add you to an “inactive” list if you have not voted in two federal elections and ultimately purge you from voter rolls if you don’t respond to a notice mailed to your home within four years.  
• Senate Bill 2358, under the guise of “election integrity,” prohibits ballot harvesting, which is a registered voter allowing someone else to return their completed ballot. Those found guilty can find themselves imprisoned for up to a year and/or receive a $3,000 fine. This is problematic because the elderly and disabled, who often rely on others to return their absentee ballots, otherwise may not be able to cast their votes. 

When done properly, purging occurs when a local government entity removes citizens who have either died or moved to another state from its list of registered voters for the sole purpose of increasing the accuracy of voter rolls, according to the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. However, purging becomes a problem when used as a tool by politicians to suppress the votes of disenfranchised eligible voters.

Simply put, we live in a state that lives by the voting mantra: Use it or lose it. That’s why it’s critical to check your voting status before every election. That includes ensuring your precinct hasn’t changed since you last voted. 

One Voice and the Mississippi State Conference NAACP are working diligently to protect the rights of eligible Mississippians to vote through education on the election process, preparing for hurdles, and identifying and responding to voter irregularities on Election Day. We work to prevent voter intimidation and suppression, elevate underserved voices, and seek opportunities to widen political participation. 

Every vote counts, and we need yours now more than ever to make a difference. Call 1-888-601-VOTE before the March 12 presidential primaries if you have voting questions or concerns.