Vote by Mail FAQs

YES! The following are reasons to request to vote by mail:

At higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to serious underlying medical conditions identified by the CDC
Subject to a medically necessary quarantine or isolation order as a result of COVID-19
Advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis
Caring for an individual who is subject to a medically necessary quarantine or isolation order as a result of COVID-19 or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns

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

Request an absentee ballot online or by mail
- General Application:
  bit.ly/LAVBMApplication
- Disabled Application:
  bit.ly/LADisabledApplication
- Temporary COVID-19 Application:
  bit.ly/LACovid19Application
Receive your official ballot in the mail sent to the address you requested
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.
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.
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 the November 3 election is October 30 by 4:30 p.m., but we recommend that you request your ballot by November 16 or 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 on December 1 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 the December 5 election day: December 4 by 4:30 p.m. CST, But to ensure your ballot arrives in time we recommend that you mail in your completed ballot by November 23 or as soon as you can. We recommend after November 23 that you hand deliver your ballot to your local Parish Registar of Voters office.

If you meet one of the following requirements, you have until 4:30 p.m. CST on December 5 to request a ballot:

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

There is an option on the General Application to request an absentee ballot if you will not be in the parish you are registered to vote in during early voting or on election day. On the application you can fill in the address where you would like your ballot to be mailed. If you are in a hotel or other shelter please communicate with the front desk or other coordinators to ensure that you can receive your ballot when it is sent to that address.

During the current public health emergency, the state has allowed five more reasons for requesting an absentee ballot:

At higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to serious underlying medical conditions
Subject to a medically necessary quarantine or isolation order as a result of COVID-19
Advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis
Caring for an individual who is subject to a medically necessary quarantine or isolation order as a result of COVID-19 or who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns

If you are planning to Vote By Mail (VBM), we recommend you do so as early as possible to make sure your vote is counted.

Official deadline to request a VBM ballot: December 1

Suggested deadline to request a VBM ballot: November 16

Official deadline to return a completed VBM ballot: December 4

Suggested deadline to return a completed VBM ballot: November 23 <br>After November 23 we recommend you hand deliver your ballot to your local Parish Registrar of Voters office

Online Application:

Visit https://voterportal.sos.la.gov and click the "Search By Voter" button.
Type in your First Name, Last Name and Zip Code, or Birth Month and Year, and click "Submit".
Click the "Request Absentee Ballot" link found under the Quick Links heading.
Complete requested information and submit.

Print and Mail Application:

Visit the Louisiana Secretary of State website to print :
1. General Application:
  bit.ly/LAVBMApplication
2. Disabled Application:
  bit.ly/LADisabledApplication
3. Temporary COVID-19 Application:
  bit.ly/LACovid19Application
Type in your First Name, Last Name and Zip Code, or Birth Month and Year, and click "Submit".
Return it to the Secretary of State via
- the U.S. Postal Service
- commercial carrier
- fax
OR, you or an immediate family member can deliver the ballot to your Parish Registrar of Voters.
Once your application is approved you will receive an absentee ballot in the mail.

Once Your Ballot is Filled Out:

You can return your voted ballot by mail or fax.
You can track the status of your absentee by mail ballot on your voter portal at the Louisiana Secretary of State website: https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Home/VoterLogin

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