2023 Policy Priorities
Voting Rights
Power Coalition is advocating for legislation that will increase democratic opportunities in Louisiana. Contact your legislators today and ask them to support these important bills!
SB 80
This legislation codifies transparency best practices in the redistricting process by providing that the legislature shall conduct public engagement events statewide and virtually in advance of the decennial redistricting process and that state, parish, and municipal governing authorities, where able, shall make redistricting maps and materials publicly available online.
In 2022, Power Coalition advocated for a task force to study and make recommendations relative to the voting rights of people with disabilities and we are now advocating for the implementation of the findings of this task force.Â
HB 553
This legislation would add a ninth seat to the State Board of Election Supervisors for a voter with a disability. The appointed member would be chosen by the Governor from a list of names provided by executives of Disability Rights Louisiana, the Split Second Foundation, the Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council, the Louisiana Association for the Blind, the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, and Arc of Louisiana.
HB 449Â
This legislation seeks to protect and expand voting opportunities for people with disabilities through the leadership of voters with disabilities and greater oversight and education about accessibility laws. The legislation would create procedures for assisting voters with disabilities and requirements to comply with provisions of state and federal law pertaining to the rights of voters with disabilities. It would also require the Louisiana Secretary of State to appoint an ADA Compliance Officer to conduct and issue a biannual accessibility audit and share their findings.
Additionally, the legislation would create a Voting Accessibility Advisory Group within the Department of State that would be made up of 7 members with a diversity of accessibility needs to provide input into voting accessibility
To improve the experience of voters at the polls, the legislation would improve the election commissioner training, specifically related to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, by improving accessibility in voting systems, creating publications of best practices related to accessible voting for local election officials, revising and improving the department’s publications and postings at voting locations, and increasing accessibility of information on the department’s website.
HB 494Â
This legislation allows nonpartisan activities that are not illegal in other state or federal laws (such as partisan campaigning or voter intimidation efforts) to take place within 600 feet of a polling place. This would allow volunteers to provide nonpartisan voter information and assistance near polling places without fear of retribution.Â
HB 538Â
This bill would standardize the number of early voting locations for statewide elections in each parish based on population and area and would require the locations to be posted online. Additionally, this bill includes a fiscal note that would provide funding for the additional sites.
| Parish Population Range | Minimum Number of Early Voting Sites |
| 0 to 30,000 | 1 |
| 30,001 to 100,000 | 2 |
| 100,001 to 200,000 | 3 |
| 200,001 to 300,000 | 4 |
| 300,001 to 400,000 | 5 |
| 400,001 or more | 6 |
| Parish Area | Minimum Number of Early Voting Sites |
| Less than 1,000 square miles | 1 |
| 1,000 square miles or more | 2 |
