How to vote in Louisiana
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Louisiana voter registration guide
- Register to vote (online): 20 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (by mail): Postmarked by 30 days before Election Day
- Register to vote (in person): 30 days before Election Day
- If you can't remember if you're registered to vote, or you want to make sure your information is correct, you can check your Louisiana registration using the Louisiana voter registration lookup site.
- If you're not registered to vote, or you need to update your voter registration information, follow the instructions below.
To register in Louisiana you must:
- be a citizen of the United States
- be a resident of Louisiana at least 20 days prior to the election (if registering through the GeauxVote Online Registration System) OR 30 days (if registering by in-person or mail)
- be 17 years old to register (16 years old if registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles) and be 18 years old by Election Day
- not currently be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony (if you are under an order but have not been incarcerated within the last five years, you ARE eligible to vote unless your conviction was for election fraud)
- not currently be under a judgment of interdiction for mental incompetence.
You can register to vote online if you have a Louisiana driver license, driver permit, or nondriver ID card.
- Visit the Louisiana online voter registration site.
- Fill out all the required fields.
- You will be registered to vote as soon as you finish the workflow.
- You should receive your voter registration card in the mail within 2-3 weeks. If not, you might want to follow up with your local election office.
- The deadline to register to vote online is 20 days before Election Day.
- Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Box 6 - ID Number: Enter your Louisiana driver’s license number or Louisiana special identification card number. If you do not have either of these, enter the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you do not have any of these numbers, include a COPY of your ID with this form. Acceptable forms of ID include (a) a copy of a current and valid photo identification; or (b) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and Louisiana home address.
- Box 7 - Choice of Party: Louisiana has closed primaries. If you do not choose a party, you will not be able to vote in that party's primary elections.
- Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: This field is optional.
- Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
- Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
- Your voter registration form must be postmarked by 30 days before Election Day.
- Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.
- Bring your Louisiana driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring ONE photo ID that shows your name, and ONE document that shows your name and Louisiana address. Acceptable documents include a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.
- Your voting rights will be restored after you complete probation or parole for most felonies OR 5 years after you were released from prison, whichever comes first.
- If you were convicted of an election releated felony, however, your rights will only be restored after you complete probation or parole. The five year rule will not apply to you.
- You cannot vote while incarcerated.
- You cannot vote while on parole.
- You cannot vote while on probation.
- You can vote upon completion of your sentence.
- Financial obligations:
- parole fees
- probation fees
- Please visit Restore Your Vote for additional information.
Louisiana absentee and mail ballot guide
Absentee ballots and mail ballots are the same thing, and the process for getting one is straight forward.
- Request your ballot by the deadline
- Receive your in ballot in the mail
- Return your ballot by the deadline
- Earliest day to apply: January 1
- Request deadline (online): 4 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (by mail): Received by 4 days before Election Day
- Request deadline (in person): 4 days before Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day
- Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day
You can vote by absentee ballot in Louisiana if:
- you are 65 years or older
- you are a student or teacher located and living outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof
- you are a minister, priest, rabbi, or other member of the clergy assigned outside of your parish of registration, or the spouse/dependent thereof
- you are or expect to be temporarily outside the state or absent from your parish of registration during the early voting period and on Election Day
- you moved over 100 miles away from your former residence within 30 days of Election Day
- you are involuntarily confined or incarcerated in an institution either for mental treatment (must be confined outside of your place of registration and not be judicially declared incompetent) or for a conviction (although you must NOT be serving time for a felony conviction)
- you expect to be hospitalized on Election Day and did not know until after the early voting period OR you were hospitalized during early voting and expect to be hospitalized on Election Day
- you are a participant in the Department of State’s Address Confidentiality Program
- Visit the Louisiana absentee ballot website.
- Fill out all of the required information.
- Hit save or submit when you are done.
- The deadline to apply online is 4 days before Election Day.
- Download the Louisiana absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Print the application.
- Sign and date your application. This is very important.
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
- If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
- Your application must be received by 4 days before Election Day.
- Visit your local election office.
- Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
- Fill out all of the required fields.
- Sign and date your application.
- The deadline to apply in person is 4 days before Election Day.
- Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
- Sign and date the outside envelope.
- Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office.
- If you mail your ballot, it must be received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day.
- If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by 1 day BEFORE Election Day.
- If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.
- ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:
- Online application: you can apply online if you have a Louisiana driver's license or state ID card.
- Paper application: the signature on your absentee application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. Your application must also be signed by two witnesses.
- ID required when returning a mail-in ballot:
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
Track your ballot here: Louisiana absentee ballot tracker
Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.
- Your ballot will be rejected if your signature does not match the signature the state has on file for you.
- Your ballot will also be rejected if it's missing affidavit information, your signature, or a witness signature.
- You must make corrections with your Local Elections Office by 4:30 pm on the day BEFORE Election Day for your vote to count.
Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.
Emergency Ballot Rules
If you are eligible to vote absentee but do not have enough time to return your ballot by mail, you can waive your right to a secret ballot and ask the clerk to send your ballot electronically (via email or fax), or to give your ballot to an immediate family member. If you receive your ballot electronically, you can return your voted ballot via fax. If the voted ballot is returned by hand delivery, the person delivering the ballot must sign a statement indicating that they have your consent to deliver the voted ballot.
Dates & Deadlines
- Emergency ballot request ends 1 day before Election Day
- Emergency ballot return deadline is 4:30PM 1 day before Election Day
Contact your local election office
Louisiana early voting guide
- Early voting starts: 18 days before Election Day
- Early voting ends: 7 days before Election Day
You must show a photo ID that includes your name and signature at the polls. You can show a driver's license from any state, a US passport, a military ID, a tribal ID, or any other ID government-issued ID. You can also show a student ID from an accredited college or university. If you are unable to provide an acceptable form of ID, you can sign an voter affidavit and then cast a provisional ballot.
Louisiana voter ID guide
You must show a photo ID that includes your name and signature at the polls. You can show a driver's license from any state, a US passport, a military ID, a tribal ID, or any other ID government-issued ID. You can also show a student ID from an accredited college or university. If you are unable to provide an acceptable form of ID, you can sign an voter affidavit and then cast a provisional ballot.
- Online application: you can apply online if you have a Louisiana driver's license or state ID card.
- Paper application: the signature on your absentee application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. Your application must also be signed by two witnesses.
Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.
You can register to vote online if you have a Louisiana driver license, driver permit, or nondriver ID card.
Local election office
Contact your local election office if you have questions.
Statewide election office
This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for Louisiana elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.
Secretary of State Attention: Elections Division P.O. Box 94125 Baton Rouge, LA 70804‐9125