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: Presidential primary's are closed party elections. Voters may only vote on the primary ballot for their party. All other voters may only vote only for any local offices and/or propositions if any are on the ballot. 


VOTER REGISTRATION 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

ID Requirements: You must have a Louisiana driver's license or special ID card. Without these you must submit your registration application by mail and include one of the following:
   -Last four digits of your social security number;
   -A copy of a current and valid photo identification; or
   -A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address. 

Other Voter Registration Qualifications: A Louisiana Mobility Impaired card is not an acceptable form of identification, since it does not contain a signature. 


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. Complete the form, and return it to your local Registrar of Voters office. 

By fax: Faxed voter registration forms are not accepted.

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: If you cannot access your voter status online, contact your local registrar of voters.


ABSENTEE BALLOT QUALIFICATIONS

Who can vote absentee: Citizens in the following categories may register for absentee voting:
   -Higher Education
   -Clergy
   -Temporarily absent
   -Moved out of Parish
   -Involuntary confinement
   -Hospitalized 
   -Offshore
   -Incarcerated
   -ACP
   -Juror
  The following two exception categories may sign up to receive an absentee ballot by mail automatically for all elections there after:
   -Senior Citizen
   -Disabled/homebound/Nursing or Veteran's home
If you believe you are part of any of the above categories read Louisiana absentee voter procedures and policies for specifics on absentee voter qualifications.

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

Online: Download an absentee form online, however, you must print and turn the form in physically.

In person: There is no in-person absentee option. However any voter may vote early in-person. Look below for early voting procedures.

By mail: Download a form and return it completed to your registrar of voter's office. Enclosed with a copy of a photo ID (LA driver's license, LA special ID card, other photo ID with name and signature), or a letter where you have listed the names and addresses of 2 persons residing in your precinct who could make an oath, if required, to the fact that you are physically disabled. 

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

Emergency Voting: Emergency voting is unavailable in Louisiana. 

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 7 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. 


QUALIFICATIONS

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: To vote at a Louisiana poll you must be able to identify yourself with one of the following:
   -A Louisiana driver's license;
   -A Louisiana special ID card; or 
   -Other generally recognized picture identification card with your name and signature. 
  If you do not have a picture ID, you will be asked identifying questions by the poll worker and asked to sign an identification affidavit before voting. 

How to Vote: Louisiana sample ballot. View voting systems and accessibilty options 

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: Louisiana Voter Portal