Louisiana

Election Day: 

Election Day voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST on all Saturday elections and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. CST on all Tuesday elections. A voter in line by 8:00 p.m. CST has the right to vote. 

Early Voting:

Any registered voter can vote early in person. A voter does not need a reason to vote early.  Early voting begins on October 30, 2021 at designated locations in each parish 

The early voting period for the General Election is Oct. 30 through Nov. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST

Check with your parish registrar for information about where to vote early: https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Registrar.  You can search for early voting sites online at https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting.  

Vote by Mail (“Absentee Voting”):  

In Louisiana, voters, except military or overseas voters, must have a reason to be eligible to vote by mail. 

The list of valid reasons is available online: Vote by Mail.  

Valid reasons include, but are not limited to:

• being 65 years of age or older; 
• having a physical disability; 
• being incarcerated or hospitalized;
• being temporarily absent from your parish during the entire early voting period and election day, including absence as a result of attending or teaching at an institution of higher education.

Submit an application requesting an absentee ballot through the Louisiana Voter Portal or print and mail an application directly to your registrar of voters. Applications are available online at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Vote/VoteByMail/Pages/default.aspx. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Central time on the fourth day before Election Day.  The registrar will mail the voter an absentee ballot.  The ballot must be received by the parish registrar by 4:30 p.m. Central time the day before Election Day.

Find Your Polling Place: 

Check the Louisiana Voter Portal “GeauxVote” website (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/).  Or call your parish registrar (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/registrar).

MANY polling places have changed due to hurricane damage 

Vote Early In-Person: 

All registered voters can vote early in person.  You do not need to provide a reason to vote early in person.

When is Early voting: 

from Oct. 30 through Nov. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST. 

Early Voting Polling Places

Voters can check through links above or specifically for early voting sites at https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/EarlyVoting. 

ID for voting in person both Early and on Election Day:

Each voter is required to identify themselves by presenting a Louisiana driver’s license, a Louisiana special identification card, LA Wallet digital driver’s license, a United States military identification card that contains the voter’s name and picture or other generally recognized picture identification card that contains the name and signature of the voter, OR by completing a Voter Identification Affidavit (AV-34) if no photo identification is available. A voter without photo ID may vote after completing the affidavit but is subject to challenge by law. 

Voters’ Rights 

• Vote privately, confidentially and independently in an area that is free from any campaign materials.
• Ask a commissioner to instruct you on how to operate the voting machine before voting. 
• A campaign-free zone 600 feet from the entrance to the polling place that is free from solicitation, intimidation, harassment, confusion, obstruction and undue influence, use of violence, force or threats or action that impedes your entrance or exit to the polling place.
• Vote in a polling place that meets accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities.
• Receive assistance in casting your ballot or use the audio ballot if you are unable to read or unable to vote without assistance due to a physical disability, including visual impairment.
• Use a braille booklet describing the use of the audio ballot or use a page magnifier that will magnify the face of the voting machine.
• Go to the front of the line with the person who will be assisting you in voting if you have a visible physical disability or have a current mobility-impaired hang tag issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles for disability parking.

Registration Deadline:  

The voter registration deadline was October 13 (30 days prior to an election if registering by mail or in person.)  Voters registering online through Geaux Vote must have registered by October 23 (20 days prior to the election.) https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/RegisterToVote/Pages/default.aspx for more information.

How to Check Your Registration:  

You can check your registration on the “GeauxVote” website (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/).

Registration Eligibility: 

In order to be eligible to register to vote in Louisiana, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Reside in Louisiana and the parish in which you seek to register;
• Be at least 17 years old to register, and 18 years old to vote;
• Not be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony or, if under such an order, not have been incarcerated pursuant to the order within the last five years and not be under an order of imprisonment related to a felony conviction for election fraud or certain other election-related offenses; 
• Not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction where your right to vote has been suspended; and
• Be registered at least 20 days prior to election if registering through the GeauxVote website (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/) with a Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana special ID card or 30 days prior to election if registering in person or by mail (https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/PublishedDocuments/ApplicationToRegisterToVote.pdf).

*Note: Students attending an institution of higher education in Louisiana who meet the other voter qualifications may register and vote in Louisiana while residing in the state for school, even if they do not intend to reside in the state indefinitely.

How to Register:  

Louisiana residents may register in person, by mail, or online. 

Online:  You can register to vote on the GeauxVote website (VoterRegistration).

By Mail:  You can register to vote by downloading a mail-in form from the Louisiana Secretary of State website voter registration application and mailing it to your parish registrar of voters (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Registrar).  The registrar of voters mails a verification mailing card to verify the address you provide when registering by mail.  If you do not receive a mailing from the registrar of voters within two weeks of registering, contact their office.

In person: You can register to vote in person at the following locations:

• At any parish registrar of voters (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Registrar);
• Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles;
• Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services;
• WIC offices;
• food stamp offices;
• Medicaid offices;
• offices serving persons with disabilities such as the Deaf Action Centers and Independent Living Offices; or
• Armed Forces recruitment offices.

Identification Required for Registration:  You are required to prove age, residency and identity.  

A Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana special ID card is required to register electronically, because there is an audit code on the card that you must enter. The audit code is a four digit number labeled AUDIT on the front of the license.

NOTE: A Louisiana mobility impaired card is not an acceptable form of identification because it does not contain a signature.

For registration applications submitted by mail, a Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana special identification card is preferred. But if not available, the registrant may use the last four digits of voter’s social security number to register. 

If registering to vote in person at a parish Local Registrar Office, you are required to prove age, residency, and identity. You must submit your current Louisiana driver’s license, if you have one, or your birth certificate or other documentation which reasonably and sufficiently establishes your identity, age and residency. If you have no driver’s license, special Louisiana ID or social security number, you may provide a picture ID, a utility bill, payroll check or government document that includes your name and address.

If registering at a mandated site, no further proof of identification is required other than whatever proof is required for services received that you have applied for at the public agency.

If You Want to Vote Absentee by Mail: 

You can vote absentee by mail if you are able to provide a valid reason.  The list of valid reasons is available online:  http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Vote/VoteByMail/Pages/default.aspx.  Valid reasons include – but are not limited to (click on link for full list): being 65 years of age or older; having a physical disability; being incarcerated or hospitalized; or being temporarily absent from your parish during the entire early voting period and election day, including for the reason of attending or teaching at an institution of higher education outside your parish. 

Submit an application requesting an absentee ballot through the Louisiana Voter Portal (voterportal OR print and mail an application directly to your registrar of voters.  Applications are available online at http://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Vote/VoteByMail/Pages/default.aspx.  

Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Central time on November 9th (the fourth day before Election Day.)  The registrar will mail the voter an absentee ballot.  

The ballot is due back to the parish registrar by 4:30 p.m. Central time the day before Election Day.  A timely postmark is not enough.

Identification Requirements to Cast a Ballot in Person: 

Louisiana voters must present a valid form of photo identification in order to vote.  If you do not have the required ID, you can complete and sign an affidavit, which includes your date of birth and mother’s maiden name.

Valid forms of identification include:

• Valid Louisiana Driver’s License;
• Valid Louisiana special identification card; 
• Louisiana Wallet Digital Driver’s License;
• U.S. military ID card containing the voter’s name and photo; or
• Other generally recognized picture identification card that contains the voter’s name and signature.

If you do not have a valid ID, you may still cast your vote by signature on a voter affidavit, but your vote may be susceptible to a challenge.

Moving within the Same Precinct: 

Go to your regular polling location.  You should ask for, and fill out, an address confirmation card.  You can cast a regular ballot. 

Moving within the Same Parish:

You can still vote at your old polling place by regular ballot.  You should ask for, and fill out, an address confirmation card; this change will take effect after the general election.  If you appear on the “inactive voter list,” you may need to complete an address confirmation card, which affirms your new address.

Moving Between Parishes:

You must re-register when you move to a new parish.  If you forgot to re-register, you can still vote at your old polling place by regular ballot, if you moved within the last three months.  You should ask for, and fill out, an address confirmation card; this change will take effect after the general election.  If you appear on the “inactive voter list,” you may need to complete an address confirmation card, which affirms your new address and that you moved within the last three months. 

If the move was over three months ago, you must have re-registered before the registration deadline.

Registering and Requesting an Absentee Ballot

Military and overseas citizens may register to vote or change their registration online (at online registration) or print an application to register to vote and return it by mail or fax to their parish registrar of voters.  They can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), also known as Standard Form 76, to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot.  Visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Louisiana-specific FPCA webpage (https://www.fvap.gov/louisiana).  Military and overseas citizens can send and receive voting materials by fax and email.  If you wish to use the fax or email options, you must indicate this on your FPCA.

A misdemeanor conviction does not disqualify a person from voting in Louisiana.  

If you have been convicted of a felony, you can vote if you are no longer under an order of imprisonment (including probation, suspended sentences, and parole) OR (a) you have not been incarcerated within the last five years (even if you are still under an order of imprisonment, i.e. on probation or parole) and (b) the order of imprisonment is not related to a felony conviction for election fraud or certain other election offenses.  However, you must restore your right to vote by appearing in person at the registrar of voters office, completing a voter registration application, and providing documentation from the appropriate correction official to prove that the you have not been incarcerated pursuant to an order of imprisonment (i.e. on probation or parole) within the last five years. 

 If you are disabled and homebound, you may submit your application and documentation by mail, facsimile, commercial carrier or hand delivery.  

FAQ