<P> Felony disenfranchisement is the exclusion from voting of people otherwise eligible to vote (known as disfranchisement) due to conviction of a criminal offense, usually restricted to the more serious class of crimes: felonies . Jurisdictions vary as to whether they make such disfranchisement permanent, or restore suffrage after a person has served a sentence, or completed parole or probation . Felony disenfranchisement is one among the collateral consequences of criminal conviction and the loss of rights due to conviction for criminal offense . </P> <P> Opponents have argued that such disfranchisement restricts and conflicts with principles of universal suffrage . It can affect civic and communal participation in general . Opponents argue that felony disenfranchisement can create dangerous political incentives to skew criminal law in favour of disproportionately targeting groups who are political opponents of those who hold power . </P>

When do you lose the right to vote