Voters will begin taking to the polls for early voting in Louisiana’s general election next week — and the final voter registration deadline of this election cycle is approaching quickly.
If you want to register to vote in the runoffs, you have until Saturday, Oct. 28 to do it.
You’ll need a Louisiana driver's license or special ID to register to vote online, at GeauxVote.com.
Registering to vote is free — and it’s a quick process. Here's how to do it.
What's my deadline for registering to vote?
The deadline for registering in person or by mail has already passed, but there’s still time to register online, for eligible voters who have a Louisiana driver's license or state ID.
To register to vote in the general election, on Nov. 14:
- Oct. 18 — The deadline to register to vote in person or by mail has already passed
- Oct. 28 — Deadline to register to vote online
Voters must be registered before heading to the polls on Election Day.
Where can I register to vote?
Online: Louisianans can register to vote or update their voter registration online through the voter portal on the Secretary of State’s website — or by visiting GeauxVote.com.
How can I check my registration status?
Voters can use the Secretary of State’s voter portal to check on their registration status — and preview sample ballots and find their polling locations.
Once you register to vote in Louisiana, you’re registered for life — as long as you continue to vote and keep your address updated.
If you have changed addresses within the state, you will need to update your registration.
Who is eligible to vote in Louisiana?
Louisianans must meet several criteria to be eligible to vote in the state:
- You must be a U.S. citizen.
- You must be at least 18 years old on Election Day, but can register if you are at least 17 — and, in certain cases, you can register if you are at least 16 years old.
- You must live in the parish where you are registering and will be voting.
- You must register by the deadline for the election you want to vote in.
- You must not, according to the Secretary of State's office, 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."
- You must not have had your voting rights suspended.
When you register, you’ll need your Louisiana driver’s license, special ID card or some other form of proof of identification.
When does early voting happen?
Louisiana has a one-week early voting period before the November general election.
You don’t need to state a reason for voting early — any registered voter can opt to cast a ballot early. Designated early voting locations will be in operation throughout the early voting period.
You can find out which early voting location you’ve been assigned to by visiting the Voter Portal.
Early voting period for Nov. 18 general election is Nov. 3 through Nov. 11. You can vote early on any of those days between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., with the exception of Sunday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 10 (Veterans Day), when the polls will be closed.
The state has set up dozens of early voting locations throughout Louisiana — which might not be the same locations as your regular polling place. You can find your early polling locations on the Secretary of State’s website.
When is Election Day?
Election Day is set for Saturday, Nov. 18.
You can check your registration status and register to vote at the secretary of state’s website and on GeauxVote.com.
Louisiana’s open primary meant that the two candidates with the largest percentages of votes in each contest have landed on the November ballot — except in the races for which a single candidate pulled in more than 50% of the votes. In those cases, the candidate was automatically declared the winner.
That happened in several statewide positions — the races for governor and lieutenant governor were decided outright in the October primary, and the statewide positions of insurance commissioner and agriculture and forestry commissioner were uncontested, too.
But three hugely important statewide races will move to a runoff on the Nov. 18 ballot: secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer. (More on the candidates and the impacts of those roles on last week's Capitol Access.)
And voters statewide will also be asked to consider four potential amendments to the state constitution, each of which requires a majority vote at the polls to be implemented.
Locally, many voters will see state legislators, sheriffs, school board members, clerks and other public officials on the general election ballot, too.
You can preview your general election ballots on the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website, which offers a tool that allows voters to see what’s on their ballot ahead of time.
Sample ballots for the November election will be available two weeks before Election Day, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18.
For more information on voter registration and voting in Louisiana, visit the Secretary of State’s website.
