Project Vote Smart

 

 

VOTER REGISTRATION

 

Registration Deadline: Louisiana statutes require you to be registered 30 days prior to an election to be eligible to vote in that particular election.

 

Party Affiliation: All candidates for a single office, regardless of party, appear on the same ballot on Election Day, and all voters (again regardless of party) can vote for any one of them

 

QUALIFICATIONS

 

Age: At least 18 years old prior to the next election to vote

 

Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen

 

Residency: Must be an actual bona fide resident of Louisiana, parish, municipality, if any, and precinct where registering

 

Mental Competency:  Are you currently under a judgment of full interdiction or limited interdiction where your right to vote has been suspended?

 

Felony Convictions: Rights restored upon completion of sentence, including prison, parole, and probation

 

OBTAINING A VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

 

Online: Louisiana online registration

 

In person:

 

  Apply in person to register to vote at any Registrar of Voters office or any of the following sites:
    - Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicle offices
    - Louisiana Department of Social Services offices and WIC offices, Food Stamp offices, and Medicaid offices
    - Offices serving persons with disabilities, such as the Deaf Action Centers and Independent Living offices
    - Armed Forces Recruitment offices

 

By mail/ in writing: Apply by mail by downloading the Louisiana Voter Registration Application form, completing it and returning it to your local Registrar of Voters office. Please note that the list of Registrar Offices is included on the form

 

Other Voter Registration Application Information: Faxed Voter Registration forms are not accepted. The Voter Registration form should be addressed and mailed or hand-delivered to the appropriate Registrar of Voters in the parish in which you are registering.

 

VERIFYING YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

 

Online: Louisiana Voter portal

 

Phone: Contact your Parish Elections official

 

ABSENTEE BALLOT QUALIFICATIONS

 

Who can vote absentee: Louisiana absentee voter procedures and policies 

 

Other absentee voter qualifications: The registrar must verify that you are a qualified voter in order to send you a ballot. If your eligibility
cannot be verified, then you will be notified in writing and you will not receive a ballot.

 

OBTAINING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT

 

In person: Refer to early voting procedures below

 

By mail: For all other voters, to request absentee ballots by mail, complete and return a Request for Absentee Ballot by Mail PDF form indicating the reason you are not able to vote in person, either during early voting or on election day. Return the form to your parish Registrar of Voters. For the deadlines to request and return an absentee by mail ballot, go to Election Dates.

 

Military and oversees voting: Louisiana Military and Overseas voter policies and procedures

 

Other absentee ballot information:

 

Timeline to Request an Absentee Ballot by Mail:
    - Military Personnel:  Anytime before 4:30 p.m. on the day before Election Day
    - U.S. Citizens residing outside the U.S.:  Anytime before 4:30 p.m. on the day before Election Day
    - Hospitalization (as described below): By 4:30 p.m. on the day before Election Day
    - All others:  60 days prior to the election through 4:30 p.m. on the 4th day before Election Day

 

SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT 

 

Location and time:

 

Return the form to your parish Registrar of Voters. For the deadlines to request and return an absentee by mail ballot, go to Election Dates.
 Deadlines for returning your voted ballots:
    - Military Personnel:  By 8:00 p.m. on Election Day
    - U.S. Citizens residing outside the U.S.:  By 8:00 p.m. on Election Day
    - Hospitalization (as described on Louisiana Secretary of State website): By 8:00 p.m. on Election Day
    - All others:  By 4:30 p.m. on the day before Election Day 

 

 

 

EARLY VOTING

 

Early voting qualifications: You do not need a reason to vote early. All voters may vote early, just like they are voting on election day.

 

Other information for early voting: Voters who want to vote early for any election may do so in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office or at designated locations in the parish from 14 days to seven days prior to any scheduled election.
For a complete list of the locations of parish Registrar of Voters offices and designated early voting locations, please refer to the Early Voting Locations page.
The registrars of voters will open their offices from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for each day of early voting. 

 

VOTING SMART

 

Verifying Registration: Louisiana voter registration verification

 

Deciding how to vote: http://www.votesmart.org/

 

Time off to vote: Time off to vote is subject to the employer. Louisiana state law does not require employers to grant time off to vote for employees.

 

Polling Place: Louisiana polling place locator

 

ID Requirements:

 

ID requirements for voting eligibility:
  - Louisiana driver’s license
  - Louisiana special ID card
  - social security number
  - copy of a current and valid photo identification
  - copy of a current utility bill
  - bank statement
  - government check
  - paycheck
  - other government document that shows your name and address

 

How to Vote: Louisiana sample ballot

 

 - AVC machines

 

Getting your vote counted: Election information and vote-training resources

 

Problems with voting: Louisiana HAVA complaint form

 

Verifying provisional ballot status: Provisional voter and ballot search

 

Verifying absentee ballot status:  Refer to Louisiana FAQ on absentee ballots