BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced the Department of State’s legislative package ahead of the 2023 Regular Legislative Session.

“The legislative package we are championing this year include bills that will strengthen our election integrity and cybersecurity posture. I am calling on the legislature to pass the bills in our package, and for the governor to use his remaining time in office to strengthen our election integrity by signing them into law,” Secretary Ardoin said.

The package of bills includes:

• HB 159 by Rep. Les Farnum to provide for a supplemental voter canvass.
• HB 311 by Rep. Blake Miguez (Constitutional Amendment) to prohibit the private funding of elections.
• HB 361 by Rep. Daryl Deshotel to prohibit the use of TikTok on state devices or networks.
• HB135 by Rep. Mike Johnson to prohibit sex offenders from serving as election commissioners. 
• HB 216 by Rep. Dodie Horton to allow military members and their dependents stationed in Louisiana to serve as election commissioners.
• HB 174 by Rep. Julie Emerson to protect the personal, identifiable information of active duty military members and their dependents from being released in a public records request.

The legislative session begins on April 10 and ends on June 8. 

Click here to view or download the official release.

March 11, 2023

MARCH 25 MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION REMINDERS

BATON ROUGE, La. — Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin reminds voters that Saturday, March 25 is Election Day for the Municipal Primary Election.

In preparation for the election, Secretary Ardoin encourages voters to remember:

● Seven parishes will have only local races on the ballot: Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, Morehouse, Orleans, Terrebonne, and Washington.

● 12 parishes will have local propositions only on the ballot: Ascension, DeSoto, Jefferson Davis, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Vermilion, West Feliciana, and Winn.

● Nine parishes will have both local races and local propositions on the ballot: Bossier, Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Grant, Lafourche, Livingston, St. Mary, St. Tammany, and Webster.

● 36 parishes will have no elections: Acadia, Allen, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Jefferson, Lafayette, LaSalle, Madison, Plaquemines, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Landry, St. Martin, Union, Vernon, West Baton Rouge, and West Carroll.

● Early voting is March 11 through March 18 (excluding Sunday, March 12) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

● The deadline to request an absentee ballot is March 21 by 4:30 p.m (other than military and overseas voters). Voters can request an absentee ballot online through the Voter Portal or in writing through their registrar of voters Office.

● The deadline for a registrar of voters to receive a voted absentee ballot is March 24 by 4:30 p.m. (other than military and overseas voters).

● Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

● Voters can find their polling location and sample ballot by downloading the GeauxVote Mobile app for smartphones, or by visiting www.GeauxVote.com and logging into the Voter Portal.

● Voters can sign up for text alerts via GeauxVote Mobile.

● Voters should bring an ID with them to vote (Louisiana driver’s license, Louisiana Special ID card, a generally recognized picture identification card with name and signature such as a passport, or a digital license via LA Wallet).

● Election results can be viewed in real-time via GeauxVote Mobile or at www.sos.la.gov.

For more information, please contact the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at 800.883.2805 or [email protected].

To view and download the official press release, click here.

Amite, La.— Tangipahoa Registrar of Voters Andi Matheu would like to remind everyone that the early voting period for the March 25th election begins, Saturday, 03/11/2023 through Saturday, 03/18/2023 (excluding Sunday) from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM each day.

This election only includes those voters in the Village of Tangipahoa who votes at precinct 6. Visit www.TangiVotes.com for more information. 

See you at the polls!

(You can check the official press release here and the sample ballot here.)

BATON ROUGE, La. — Today, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin issued the following statement on voter list maintenance in Louisiana:

“As Louisiana’s Secretary of State, I have always championed legislation to provide the tools needed to maintain accurate voter lists in each parish. Louisiana law places the responsibility of verification and maintenance of each parish’s voter registration list on the local Registrar of Voters. These tools include, but are not limited to, more accurate death records from the Louisiana Department of Health (HB 167 by Rep. Mike Johnson, 2021 Regular Session).

Despite the nonpartisan Louisiana Legislative Auditor recommending a second annual canvass, and the overwhelming support of the legislature in 2021 and 2022 (HB 138 and HB 35 by Rep. Les Farnum), Governor Edwards vetoed both of these bills. Although the Legislative Auditor confirmed in its 2022 report that our office follows the necessary procedures related to list maintenance, I believe a second annual canvass is vital to ensuring an accurate voter registration list and maintaining voter confidence. For this reason, I will support this legislation, as authored by Rep. Les Farnum, in the upcoming legislative session, and I call on Governor Edwards to sign it upon its passage.

Recall elections are an essential component of Louisiana’s democratic form of government. I fully and completely support and endorse the right of voters to seek a recall election.”

Click here to view or download the official press release.

Click here to view or download the facts on voter list maintenance in Louisiana.

Amite, La.— Tangipahoa Registrar of Voters Andi Matheu will meet with the Board of Election Supervisors to seal the early voting machines on Tuesday, 03/07/2023 at 10:00 AM. The board meeting will be held in the Registrar’s Amite office located in the Courthouse at 110 N. Bay Street, Ste. 103, Amite, LA 70422. As usual, these meetings are open to the public.

Once certified and sealed by the board, these machines will be used during Early Voting for the March election. Early Voting begins on Saturday, March 11 and continues through Saturday, March 18, from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM (excluding Sunday). This special proposition election will be held in precinct 6 for the Village of Tangipahoa.

For more information about elections and voting, contact the Registrar of Voters office by calling 985.748.3215, or sending an email, [email protected] . You may also visit our website www.TangiVotes.com for most of your election and registration information.

To view or download the official press release, click here.