Louisiana Voting Guide

Whether you plan to vote in a local or presidential election, it is important to understand Louisiana’s voting laws. This guide will help you prepare for the upcoming election.

If you have questions about your voting rights or believe your right to vote has been violated, contact a civil rights attorney near you. They can help you understand Louisiana‘s voting laws and how those rules apply to your situation.

Am I Eligible To Vote in Louisiana?

You must be a U.S. citizen to vote in local, state, and federal elections. For state elections, you must reside in Louisiana and be at least 18 years old.

Louisiana allows people as young as 16 to register to vote, as long as they will be 18 by Election Day. Register to vote at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles or the Registrar of Voters’ office. If you are unsure of your eligibility for the next local election, contact the Board of Elections or check Louisiana’s voting portal.

Who Cannot Vote in Louisiana?

There are certain circumstances that could affect your eligibility to vote. Louisiana state law bars voting for people in the following situations:

Felony Conviction

In Louisiana, you are ineligible to vote if a court has issued a felony imprisonment order following a felony conviction, and you were incarcerated for that sentence within the past five years. Someone still serving probation or parole may register and cast a ballot if at least five years have passed since their last period of actual confinement. A person whose sentence never included prison time does not face the voting bar.

Election Offense Convictions

The state treats election offense convictions as a serious offense. Anyone convicted of election fraud or any other voting-related offense under Louisiana law who remains under an order of imprisonment cannot register or vote, with no five-year exception available.

Full Interdiction

You cannot vote if a court placed you under full interdiction following a judicial declaration of mental incompetence. If you are subject only to a limited interdiction, you retain the right to vote unless the court’s judgment in that proceeding specifically suspended it.

Your Rights as a Voter in Louisiana

Louisiana’s Election Day Bill of Rights and federal law protect your right to take part in elections. At the polls, you have the right to:

• Cast your ballot if you are already in line: Tuesday elections are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday elections are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line when polls close, you cannot be turned away. You have the right to stay in line and vote.
• Vote privately: Louisiana’s Election Day Bill of Rights and state law protect the secrecy of your ballot. You have the right to vote confidentially and independently, without anyone watching or influencing your choices.
• Request a provisional ballot in federal elections: If a commissioner cannot find your name on the precinct register and the issue cannot be fixed right away, you can cast a provisional ballot in a federal election. Provisional ballots are not available for state or local races in Louisiana. After Election Day, the parish board of election supervisors will decide if your ballot counts toward the final election results.
• Ask for instructions: You can ask a commissioner to show you how to use the voting machine before you vote. Most voting in Louisiana uses electronic machines. If you use a paper ballot and make a mistake, seal it in the envelope provided, write “spoiled” on it, and ask for a replacement.
• Vote without pressure or intimidation: No one can threaten, force, or try to influence how you vote or if you vote at all. Under Louisiana law, there’s a 600-foot campaign-free zone around every polling place to protect voters.

Nobody should be able to keep you from casting your vote.

Where Do I Vote? 

Finding your voting precinct is easy. Simply search the Louisiana Voter Portal or find your location by searching with your name.

FIND OUT WHERE TO VOTE 

When Is Louisiana’s Voter Registration Deadline?

If you plan to register to vote online, you must do so at least 20 days before election day. If registering in person or by mail, you must register at least 30 days before the general or primary election.

How Do I Request a Mail-in or Absentee Ballot in Louisiana?

You must have a specific reason for voting by mail. You cannot request a mail-in or absentee ballot for convenience’s sake. Election officials receive requests to vote by mail from military personnel, people working overseas, and individuals with disabilities.

To request an absentee/mail-in ballot, log in to the Louisiana Voter Portal and complete the absentee questions. This site also provides additional information about absentee voter eligibility in Louisiana.

Where Do I Vote on Election Day in Louisiana?

Finding your voting precinct is easy. Search the Louisiana Voter Portal or find your location by searching with your name.

What Should I Bring to the Polls?

To vote on Election Day in Louisiana, you must be registered and produce a photo ID.

Acceptable ID includes:

• Driver’s license (including a digital driver’s license)
• Louisiana special ID

If you do not have the above photo IDs, you may bring another picture ID that shows your full name, a recognizable photo, and your signature. You can submit a voter identification affidavit if you do not have a photo ID. If you already registered to vote but don’t have a photo ID, bring your voter information card to the Office of Motor Vehicles for a free Louisiana special ID card.

Are There Special Accommodations Available at the Polls?

Louisiana offers assistance for disabled voters. People with disabilities can bring another individual to help them vote. You can also move to the front of the line at your polling location.

What if I Witness Suspicious Behavior at the Polls?

Louisiana has some of the strictest polling place rules in the country. Knowing what those rules are makes it easier to recognize when something is wrong.

What Is and Isn’t Allowed Near the Polls

Louisiana law establishes a 600-foot campaign-free zone around every polling place entrance, in effect from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day and during early voting. That zone applies to everyone without exception. Inside it, no one may hand out or display campaign literature, wear or display political clothing or any political signage, or solicit petition signatures. 

The Louisiana Secretary of State‘s Office has clarified that this ban covers all forms of campaign and political paraphernalia. It may include buttons, hats, T-shirts, and any other items bearing a candidate’s name or political slogan. This sets Louisiana apart from states that limit such restrictions to poll workers or candidates. In Louisiana, the prohibition applies to every person entering the polling place. The only exception is for campaign signs on private property that fall within the 600-foot radius, provided the property is not being used as a polling place.

Election officials are subject to additional restrictions beyond those applicable to the general public. They are prohibited from wearing any badge, button, pin, or other insignia that identifies them with a candidate or political faction. They are also not allowed to influence voters in favor of or against any candidate or ballot issue.

Who Else May Be at the Polls

You may see individuals at your polling place who are not voting. Under the Louisiana Revised Statutes, each candidate may have one commissioned watcher and one alternate watcher at each precinct where their name appears on the ballot. Candidates may also designate one “super watcher” per parish, authorized to enter every precinct. Watchers are strictly observers and may not speak to you about your vote, question your eligibility, or interfere with your access to the ballot.

Federal law also prohibits any person in the civil, military, or naval service of the United States, from ordering, bringing, or keeping troops at any location where a general or special election is held. The only exception is when such force is necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States. A court may authorize unarmed federal observers to be present under specific circumstances tied to the enforcement of constitutional voting protections. However, those observers have no power to question voters or take any enforcement action at the polling place.

What Voter Intimidation Looks Like

State and federal laws ban anyone from using threats, coercion, or intimidation to interfere with your right to vote. Some types of intimidation are easy to spot, while others are not. Examples include aggressively questioning someone’s immigration status or citizenship near a polling place, spreading false information about voting times or locations, placing armed people near a polling place to scare voters, or blocking someone’s way to the entrance.

How To Report a Problem

If something doesn’t seem right at your polling place, first tell a poll worker or the Commissioner-in-Charge. If the problem isn’t fixed, you can report it to:

• The Louisiana Secretary of State‘s Election Integrity Division toll-free at 1-800-722-5305 for voter fraud, vote buying, voter intimidation, and other violations of the Louisiana election code
• The Louisiana Elections Hotline at 1-800-883-2805 for general election questions and written complaint referrals
• The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at (800) 253-3931 or at civilrights.justice.gov for suspected federal civil rights violations
• The FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov for suspected federal election crimes
• The Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE, a nonpartisan nonprofit voter assistance line

Do not confront anyone you suspect of breaking the law. Report what you witnessed to the appropriate authority and let them handle it.

You Don’t Have To Solve This on Your Own – Get a Lawyer’s Help

If you believe your voting rights were violated, a civil rights attorney can review what happened and explain your legal options. They can also help you understand Louisiana‘s voting laws and what protections apply to your situation.