When Benny Ivey, co-founder of Strong Arms of Mississippi, went to prison for the first time in the 1998, losing his right to vote wasn’t among his chief concerns.
Fourteen years since his final day in prison, Ivey turned his life away from crime and has been running a program to steer minors in the Jackson metro area from his past life. Yet, he still cannot vote in local, county, statewide or national elections because of the crimes he committed years ago. Now, more than 26 years after his first stint of incarceration, he cares very much.
“My last conviction was almost 20 years ago,” said Ivey, who acknowledges he was convicted on burglary and drug-related charges. “I help run a youth program. We get referrals from courts; they trust me with children, and they trust me to mentor these kids and get them on the right path. I’m a licensed plumber with a business. I own my own home, all these things, but my voice doesn’t matter when it comes to who I want to vote for, and it is frustrating.”