In the State of Florida, persons convicted of a felony are stripped of their voting rights in addition to other sentencing. This restriction lasts for life, and the right can only be restored through special permissions from both the governor and the state clemency board. This practice is known as felony disenfranchisement and it is a common punishment across the United States, being law in 48 states (not practiced in Vermont and Maine). However, Florida is one of only twelve states that bans convicted felons from voting post-sentence and one of only four that maintains that ban for life.