JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -Do the crime, do the time. It’s a phrase you’ve heard before. But here in Mississippi, there’s a big consequence that sticks with some offenders for life regardless of the time they serve.

Kim Biggs served time for a felony bad check charge. She was ready to start over when she was released but said that proved difficult.

“How do you become a returning citizen here in Mississippi?” said Biggs.

Among the things she and others want as they try to get back to a normal life is their right to vote. But this report released by One Voice Mississippi and Mississippi Votes shows more than 200,000 Mississippians are disenfranchised. That’s nearly 11 percent of the population.

“To have someone tell me that I can’t vote and I’ve gone through all this…that’s a slap in the face.”

Let’s be clear, it’s not every felony that results in a lifetime voting ban. But 22 do. They’re considered “disenfranchising offenses”.

“Taking away someone’s right to vote, silences their voice and devalues their worth as a resident in our state and our country,” described Mississippi Votes Executive Director Arekia Bennett.