Louisiana Election: What to Know About Early voting, Absentee, Polling Places, and Deadlines

November 25, 2024 LA Data News Commentary, Editorials, News 0

Eric Connerly Data News Weekly Contributor

While the Dec. 7th election will lack the marquee races for President and Congress, it will provide voters statewide with four Statewide Amendments to the Louisiana Constitution with Propositions that would increase the size of the Judiciary Commission that investigates complaints, require lawmakers to take more time to consider spending bills and revise the system for responding to delinquent property taxes.

In addition, twenty-two parishes will also have local races on the ballot. In Orleans there is a race for School Board District 2 that stretches across New Orleans East, Gentilly, Pontchartrain Park and the Upper 9th Ward, with Educational Leader Eric “Doc” Jones, who won the primary with 44 percent of the vote facing off against Gabriela Biro.

To have your voice heard and votes counted at the polls it is important to be aware of key deadlines and dates are already approaching, including:

∎ Early voting is Nov. 22nd – 30th (excluding Sunday, Nov. 24th, Thursday, Nov. 28th, and Friday, Nov. 29th) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

∎ Early voting locations can be found at voterportal.sos.la.gov/earlyvoting.

∎ The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Dec. 3rd by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters). Voters can request an absentee ballot online through the Voter Portal or in writing through the Registrar of Voters Office.

∎ The deadline for a voter to return a voted absentee ballot to their parish’s Registrar of Voters Office is Dec. 6th by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

∎ Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

∎ Voters can find their polling location and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones, or by visiting www.GeauxVote.com and logging into the Voter Portal.

∎ Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card, a generally recognized picture identification card with name and signature such as a passport, or a digital license via LA Wallet).