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Early voting starts next week; here's what to know

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Early voting for the November 5 election starts October 18.

The deadline to register online for the November 5 election is October 15.

Early voting is October 18-29 (excluding Sunday, October 20 and Sunday, October 27) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is November 1 by 4:30 p.m (other than military and overseas voters). You can request an absentee ballot online through our Voter Portal or in writing through your Registrar of Voters Office.

The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is November 4 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

On election day, the polls are open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

If you think you're registered, you can easily check your registration status by going to the Louisiana Secretary of State's site for voters here, or by downloading the Geaux Vote app.

Several states, including Louisiana, have passed recent legislation and implemented policies that have resulted in the "purging" of some voters from the rolls. For that reason, no one should assume they're still registered. To be sure you're still registered, you can check at the Secretary of State's website or via the app. If you moved, or if you want to update other details about your registration - like your party - you can do that via the website or app, too.

You can look for your name on the "inactive voter" list here: https://www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/Pages/InactiveVoters.aspx

To register and vote in Louisiana, individuals must:
● be a U.S. citizen;
● be at least 17 years old (16 years old if registering in person at the Registrar of Voters Office or at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles) to register and 18 years old prior to the next election to vote;
● not be under an order of imprisonment for conviction of a felony or, if under such an order, not have been
incarcerated pursuant to the order within the last five years, and not be under an order of imprisonment
related to a felony conviction for election fraud or any other election offense pursuant to La. R.S. 18:1461.2;
● not be under a judgment of full interdiction for mental incompetence or partial interdiction with suspension of voting rights;
● be a resident in the state and parish in which they seek to register and vote;
● apply at least 20 days prior to an election if registering online or 30 days prior to an election if registering in
person or by mail.

Citizens with a valid Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana Special ID card can register online 24 hours a day, seven days a week by visiting https://voterportal.sos.la.gov.

Louisiana residents can also register in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office, when they apply for or renew their driver’s license at any Office of Motor Vehicles, or when obtaining services at public assistance agencies and Armed Forces recruitment offices.

For more information about elections and voting, please contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at
800.883.2805 or elections@sos.la.gov.

If you want to register in person, you can visit your local registrar of voter's office; to find the one for your parish click here.