The Secretary of State's Office is encouraging all eligible Louisianians to consider voting early in the Presidential Preference Primary.
Early voting continues through Saturday, July 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
Only registered Democrats and Republicans will be eligible to vote in their party’s respective Presidential Preference Primary, while voters in 24 parishes, regardless of party, may have a local election on their ballot.
Those 24 parishes include Bienville, Caddo, Calcasieu, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington and West Feliciana.
Voters can utilize Louisiana’s free smartphone app, GeauxVote Mobile, to locate their early voting site, election day voting site and view their sample ballot. Voters can also access this information on the SOS Voter Portal.
Citizens who want to vote early may do so in person at the parish Registrar of Voters Office or at other designated locations. For a complete listing of early voting locations, click here.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, polling commissioners will be supplied with personal protective equipment and will regularly sanitize designated areas and wipe down voting machines. The Secretary of State's Office says that hand sanitizer will be provided to voters and masks are recommended, although not required.
Charlene Meaux Menard, Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters, says many more will mail in ballots than usual due to the pandemic. For those who will mail ballots in, the due date is just one day before the July 11 primary.
"If you requested an absentee ballot and you received the ballot it has to be in my office by July 10 except for military and civilian over seas. Anybody else, it has to be in my office by the 10th," said Menard.
For those voting in person, in addition to a Louisiana driver’s license, a Louisiana Special ID or a generally recognized ID with picture and signature, voters may now use a digital license via LA Wallet.
Election Day for the PPP and Municipal Primary is Saturday, July 11 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.