FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Voter roll purges, or list maintenance, is when people are removed from the registered voter list. This practice aims to remove people who moved or died.
If you have not voted in 2 federal elections, which include Presidential and Congressional elections, you are at risk of being removed from the voter list.
Vote in every election! If you do not vote you are at risk of becoming an inactive voter.
Check your registration status! Visit Geauxvote.com and make sure your registration is up to date.
Register NOW to vote in the next election if you have been removed! Visit Geauxvote.com to register to vote.
If you find you have been removed from the voter registration list while trying to vote, request a provisional ballot and call 866-OUR-VOTE.
Louisiana conducts local and state elections on Saturdays using what is referred to as an open primary system.
In an open primary, any qualified person may qualify as a candidate, regardless of party, and run for office. Also known as a jungle primary.All eligible voters may cast a vote in the election, regardless of party affiliation.
Open primaries are used in Louisiana for all state, parish, municipal, and congressional elections.
EXCEPTION: Presidential primary elections use a closed primary.
Secretary of State Elections Division, P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804 and you can 1-800-883-2805 or visit online at www.GeauxVote.com
Your local Registrar of Voters:
East Baton Rouge
222 St. Louis Street, Suite 201, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 389-3940
[email protected]
Jefferson Parish
1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 502, Harahan, LA 70123
(504) 736-6191
[email protected]
5001 West Bank Expressway, Suite C-2, Marrero, LA 70072
(504) 349-5690
[email protected]
408 Minor Street, Kenner, LA 70062
(504) 467-5168
[email protected]
Orleans Parish
City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, #1W23, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 658-8300
[email protected]
225 Morgan Street, Room 105, New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 658-8323
[email protected]
Calcasieu Parish Parish Courthouse, 1000 Ryan St - Rm 7, Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337) 721-4000
[email protected]
Terrebonne Parish
8026 Main Street, Suite 101 Houma, La 70360
(985) 873-6533
[email protected]
Caddo Parish
525 Marshall, Suite 103 Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 226-6891
[email protected]
Each voter is required to identify himself or herself by giving his or her name and address to a commissioner; and by presenting a Louisiana driver's license, a Louisiana special identification card or other generally recognized picture identification card that contains the name and signature of the applicant or completing an Identification Affidavit if no photo identification is available. A voter without photo ID is subject to challenge by law. You may obtain a free Louisiana special identification card by presenting your voter information card to the Office of Motor Vehicles.
To vote in Louisiana, you must be:
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident of Louisiana and the parish you are registering in
- At least 17 years old and 18 years old prior to the next election
- Not currently under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony or a judgment of interdiction for mental incompetence
Online: https://pcej.org/registertovote
Phone: Call the Secretary of State’s office at 1-800-883-2805
Find a paper form at:
- Your Local Post Office
- Office of Motor Vehicles
- Louisiana Department of Social Services offices including WIC, food stamp, and Medicaid offices
- Armed Forces recruitment offices
- Offices for persons with disabilities such as the Deaf Action Centers or Independent Living offices
You do not need a reason to vote early! All voters may vote early, just like you are voting on Election Day. Voters who want to vote early for any election may do so at the parish registrar of voters office or at designated locations in the parish from 8.30 am to 6 pm from 7 to 14 days prior to any scheduled election.
Formerly Incarcerated People
YES! Formerly Incarcerated People Can Vote!
In Louisiana, if a person is not currently serving time in prison, including if they are currently on probation or parole, they can exercise the right to vote no matter what their prior conviction is. Since March 1, 2019, any Louisianian who:
- is off probation or parole; OR
- has been on parole for 5 or more years; OR
- is currently on probation can vote.
Those who are currently awaiting trial in jail and have not yet been convicted, are eligible to register and vote.
Louisiana does allow returning citizens who are no longer incarcerated, with or without parole or probation, to vote provided they have been out of prison for more than five years. They are eligible to register to vote after reaching a five year period.
To register to vote, a formerly incarcerated person who was registered to vote before being incarcerated will need:
- A voter eligibility form (obtained from your local probation and parole office)
- A completed voter registration form
- a valid identification card (ID)
Bring your certificate and voter registration form to your local parish Registrar’s office OR you can register online and bring in the certificate, or fill out a voter registration form at the same time you bring the certificate to the parish Registrar of Voters.
Note: If you’ve never registered before and have a Driver’s License you can register to vote online.
30 Days prior to an election
is the last day to register to vote by mail,
20 days prior to the election
is the last day to register online.
Visit powercoalition.org/Registrar to locate your Parish Registrar of Voters office.
Once you have registered to vote the Secretary of State should send you a postcard with confirmation of your registration. You can go to the Secretary of State website to identify your polling location. It is important to note that during early voting you can vote at any of the early voting locations, which you can find at pcej.org/Polling. Additionally, you can vote at your parish registrars office. An early vote is an easy vote!
Visit Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)'s website to learn more about voting for formerly incarcerated people.
High School Students
If you won’t be 18 before the election, you can still register to vote so you’re prepared when the time comes around! To register to vote in Louisiana, you must be
- 17 years of age or older to register online or by mail.
- 16 years old if you’re registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.
- You must also be a U.S. citizen and reside in the state and parish in which you seek to register.
A voter must be 18 years old by election day in order to vote.
No. If you don’t have a Louisiana ID, you can register with your social security number and proof that you reside in the state of Louisiana. This can be done by printing out a voter registration form at https://bit.ly/Mail-InApp with your SS and the Louisiana address where you reside, filling it out and mailing it your parish’s Registrar of Voters Office Addresses, which can be found on the application itself.
YES. You can vote absentee, as long as you request an absentee ballot five days before election day by 4:30 PM CST .
Your ballot must be turned in on the day before Election Day by 4:3
You can find more information about voting by mail at https://pcej.org/VBM.
Once you have registered to vote the Secretary of State should send you a postcard with confirmation of your registration. You can go to the Secretary of State's website to identify your polling location. It is important to note that during early voting you can vote at any of the early voting locations, which you can find at pcej.org/Polling. Additionally, you can vote at your parish registrar's office. An early vote is an easy vote!
College Students and Voting
If you have a Louisiana ID, YES you can register to vote online at https://pcej.org/registertovote. Online registration must be done at least 20 days before election day.
If you don’t have a Louisiana ID, NO, you cannot register online. You have to register by mail or in person. If you live on a college campus, there may be initiatives and programming to help you register.
You can register in person at an authorized location like any Registrar of Voter Office (https://pcej.org/Registrar).
You can find the mail-in voter registration application at https://pcej.org/Mail-InApp. It must be sent in at least 30 days before election day.
YES. A voter who lives on a college campus can register under the University Mailing Office Address. For example:
First & Last Name of Recipient
101 Student Union Bldg.
Box # ______
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
No. If you don’t have a Louisiana ID, you can register with your social security number and proof that you reside in the state of Louisiana. This can be done by printing out a voter registration form at https://pcej.org/Mail-InApp with your SS and the Louisiana address where you reside, filling it out, and mailing it to your parish’s Registrar of Voters Office Addresses, which can be found on the application itself.
No. According to Louisiana law, you can only be registered or vote in one place of residence at a time. Once you register to vote in Louisiana, it will void your voter registration in another state.
YES. You can vote absentee, as long as you request an absentee ballot at least five days before election day by 4:30 PM CST.
Your ballot must be turned in on the day before Election Day by 4:30 PM.
You can find more information about voting by mail at https://pcej.org/VBM.
30 Days prior to an election
is the last day to register to vote by mail,
20 days prior to the election
is the last day to register online.
Once you have registered to vote the Secretary of State should send you a postcard with confirmation of your registration. You can go to the Secretary of State's website to identify your polling location. It is important to note that during early voting you can vote at any of the early voting locations, which you can find at pcej.org/Polling. Additionally, you can vote at your parish registrar's office. An early vote is an easy vote!
Disabled Persons FAQs and Resources
- Mobility disabilities
- Vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Chronic illnesses
- Cognitive impairments
- Neurological disorders
- Conditions impairing one’s ability for self-care
- Independent living
- If you are a person with a disability, you have the right to vote, unless a court has issued a judgment declaring that you cannot vote
- Voting is your decision
- No one can tell you how to vote
- Your vote is private. You do not have to tell anyone how you voted
- The polling place must be accessible to you
- You may ask for help in understanding how to register to vote or how to operate a voting machine.
If your polling place is not accessible, please notify a commissioner at the polling place or call your parish Clerk of Court’s Office so that they can correct the accessibility problem immediately on election day.
You may also contact the Secretary of State’s Office toll-free at 800.883.2805.
Your local Registrar of Voters:
East Baton Rouge
222 St. Louis Street, Suite 201, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 389-3940
[email protected]
Jefferson Parish
1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Room 502, Harahan, LA 70123
(504) 736-6191
[email protected]
5001 West Bank Expressway, Suite C-2, Marrero, LA 70072
(504) 349-5690
[email protected]
408 Minor Street, Kenner, LA 70062
(504) 467-5168
[email protected]
Orleans Parish
City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, #1W23, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 658-8300
[email protected]
225 Morgan Street, Room 105, New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 658-8323
[email protected]
Calcasieu Parish Parish Courthouse, 1000 Ryan St - Rm 7, Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337) 721-4000
[email protected]
Terrebonne Parish
8026 Main Street, Suite 101 Houma, La 70360
(985) 873-6533
[email protected]
Caddo Parish
525 Marshall, Suite 103 Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 226-6891
[email protected]
Your vote is confidential. No one should direct you on how to vote. You do not have to answer questions or prove you are capable of voting, either mentally or physically.
If you have a visible physical disability or possess a current mobility impairment identification card, you will be allowed to go to the front of the line to vote when you vote in person during early voting or on election day.
If you want to vote in person during early voting or on election day, there are many accommodations available to all voters:
- Adjusting the voting machine if you use a wheelchair or prefer to sit while voting
- Voting machines are audio accessible and anyone may use the audio voting keypad to vote. You should inform the registrar or poll commissioner before you begin voting that you want to use the audio voting keypad
- You may bring personal headphones to use with the audio voting keypad
- You may request a 2X magnifier to use in voting. The magnifier is available in every polling place and during early voting at the Registrar of Voters Office. The early voting machines also allow you to adjust the screen text size
- You may bring your own flashlight if you need additional lighting in the voting machine
- You may bring your own signature tool to assist you in signing your name
- You may use the Braille Voting Instructions available at each Registrar of Voters’ Office and in each polling place
State law allows voters three minutes to vote; however, if you need assistance in voting or you will be using the audio voting keypad, you will have 20 minutes to vote.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network: “Your Vote Counts: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Voting in the US” – a highly accessible/Easy Read plain language toolkit for readers who need more information in pictures, or at a more appropriate reading level.
Signvote.org – a nonpartisan platform for accessible content, featuring videos in ASL
National Association for the Deaf: ASL Voter Hotline – you can ask questions about the voting process and get answers – in ASL!
National Federation of the Blind: Voting Resources – includes surveys, multimedia presentations, proposed legislative action, and additional information
Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Voting Resources:
- Guardianship Chart – Voting laws for people with intellectual disabilities and/or guardians are different in each state. Find out the rules about voting where you live.
- Tuesdays with Liz on Voting – videos geared towards viewers with intellectual disabilities, hosted by advocate Liz Weintraub
Onevotenow.org Blog – articles and updates geared towards voters with intellectual and developmental disabilities