Under current Minnesota law, if you are convicted of a felony, which can range from serious offenses to non-violent theft and other crimes which most do not consider severe, you cannot vote until you have completed your probation term, which is often many  years after you finish serving any prison or jail sentence.  A new law, which appears very likely to pass, will, with very few exceptions, allow you to vote after being released while still on probation.  If you have not voted due to a previous felony conviction, the new law, assuming that it passes, could help you vote again.  We all have a role to play in society and a responsibility to participate in choosing our leaders, even those of us who have made mistakes in the past.  If the new law gives you your voting rights back, be sure to use them.