In Louisiana, many harmful absentee voting laws have been passed. Here is what we know:

Act 380: No person except the immediate family member of the voter shall deliver by any means more than one marked ballot per election to the registrar of voters.

• Breakdown of law: 

• • Only close family members can deliver more than one completed ballot to the elections office during an election. These close family members include:

• • • Your children and their spouses
    • Your siblings and their spouses
    • Your parents and your spouse
    • The parents of your spouse

• • Basically, if you're not one of these close family members, you can only deliver one ballot at a time. 

Act 302: No person except the immediate family member of the voter, or an employee of the registrar of voters or the election division of the Department of State shall assist more than one voter in completing their absentee ballot.

• Breakdown of law: 
  • This rule says that only certain people can help more than one voter with their absentee ballot:

• • Immediate Family Members: As defined, this includes the voter's children, their children's spouses, the voter's siblings and their spouses, the voter's parents, the voter's spouse, and the parents of the voter's spouse. These close family members are allowed to assist multiple voters.
    
    
  • Employees of the Registrar of Voters or the Election Division: This includes people who work for the office that manages elections or the state's Department of State. These employees can also assist multiple voters with their absentee ballots.

• • No one else is allowed to help more than one voter with their absentee ballot.

Act 317: No person except the immediate family member of the voter shall submit by any means more than one completed absentee ballot application to the registrar of voters. Further, no person, organization, or entity shall distribute an absentee ballot application to any person who has not requested a ballot.

• Breakdown of Law: 

• • Who Can Submit Multiple Applications: Only immediate family members of the voter can submit more than one completed absentee ballot application to the elections office. Immediate family members include:
    • The voter's children and their spouses
    • The voter's siblings and their spouses
    • The voter's parents
    • The voter's spouse
    • The parents of the voter's spouse
  • Limitation for Others: Anyone who is not an immediate family member can only submit one completed absentee ballot application on behalf of a voter.

• • Distribution of Absentee Ballot Applications:

• • • Prohibition on Unsolicited Distribution: No individual, organization, or entity is allowed to distribute absentee ballot applications to people who have not specifically requested them. This means that proactive distribution of applications by others is not permitted.

*Immediate family member is defined as: "the individual's children, the spouses of his children, his brothers and their spouses, his sisters and their spouses, his parents, his spouse, and the parents of his spouse."

These laws could negatively impact voters in several ways:

1. Limited Help for Absentee Voting: Act 302 restricts assistance with absentee ballots to immediate family members or election officials. This limits the help available to voters who might need support, such as those with disabilities or language barriers.
2. Restricted Ballot Delivery: Act 380 only allows close family members to deliver more than one marked ballot. This could make it difficult for voters who rely on others for ballot delivery, especially if they don't have immediate family available to assist.
3. Hindered Application Assistance: Act 317 prohibits anyone except immediate family members from submitting multiple absentee ballot applications and bans distributing these applications unsolicited. This can create barriers for voters who need help navigating the application process or who are unaware of how to request an absentee ballot.

Overall, these laws could make it harder for some voters to get the assistance they need, potentially leading to delays and disenfranchisement.

To vote by mail you have to complete the following steps: 

1. Request an absentee ballot online or by mail
   • General Application:
     bit.ly/LAVBMApplication
   • Disabled Application:
     bit.ly/LADisabledApplication
2. Receive your official ballot in the mail sent to the address you requested
3. Read the instructions on your ballot thoroughly, complete the ballot. Make sure to sign the affidavit envelope yourself and have a witness sign, as well.
4. Return your ballot by mail, fax, or hand delivery to your parish registrar’s office. If you hand deliver your ballot it must be done by you or an immediate family member. 
5. Track your ballot on the Louisiana Voter Portal after sending it in!

Request online:  Log in to the Louisiana Voter Portal and follow these steps:

• Click the "Search By Voter" button.

• Type in your First Name, Last Name and Zip Code or Birth Month and Year and then click the "Submit" button;

• Click the "Request Absentee Ballot" link found under the Quick Links heading; and

• Complete requested information and submit.

• Note: You will need a Louisiana license or Louisiana Special ID to complete the application online.

Request by mail:  Download, print, and complete the application from the Secretary of State website.  

The official deadline to request your ballot for an election is 5 days prior to the election by 4:30 p.m., but we recommend that you request your ballot as soon as you can so that you have enough time to complete and return your voted ballot!

If you meet one of the following requirements, you have until 4:30 p.m. CST 3 days prior to the election to request a ballot:

• Military personnel and/or their dependent
• Residing outside the U.S.
• Hospitalized

The Official Deadline for your parish registrar of voters to receive your ballot at the office of the registrar is the day before election day by 4:30 p.m. CST, But to ensure your ballot arrives in time we recommend that you mail in your completed ballot as soon as you can. Or hand deliver your ballot to your local Parish Registrar of Voters office the week of the election.

If you meet one of the following requirements, you have until 4:30 p.m. CST on Election Day to turn in a ballot:

• Military personnel and/or their dependent
• Residing outside the U.S.
• Hospitalized