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Mike Tyson says he’s voting for first time; find out why he’s never cast ballot

Mike Tyson has never been able to vote. It necessarily wasn’t because he didn’t want to. It was because he legally couldn’t.

Tyson had a felony and was not allowed to cast a ballot.

But as part of Tuesday’s National Voter Registration Day, Tyson said on Twitter that he will be voting this year.

Tyson was convicted on one count of rape and two counts of deviant sexual conduct in 1992. He was sentenced to six years behind bars but was released after serving three, CNN reported.

Still, after serving his sentence, he was not allowed to vote because of the conviction.

In 2016, more than 6 million Americans were unable to cast a ballot because of state laws that prohibit voting by people with felonies on their records, CNN reported.

The rules are different from state to state, the National Conference of State Legislatures found:

  • In Maine and Vermont, felons do not lose their rights to vote, even when they’re in prison.
  • Sixteen states and the District of Columbia don’t allow incarcerated felons to vote while in prison, but rights are restored after release.
  • Twenty-one states don’t allow felons to vote while in prison, as well as when they’re on parole or probation, but voting rights are restored after time is fully served and all fines and costs are paid.
  • Eleven states have laws where felons lose their voting rights indefinitely depending on the crime. A governor’s pardon can restore the right.

Tyson lives in Nevada, which, in 2019, restored the voting rights of felons after being released from prison, CNN reported.